Salvation
by CrimsonKey
Summary: A boy who wishes for nothing but a normal life. Another boy who wishes for anything but. When two worlds collide, chaos emerges. Light and darkness, miracles and illusions, one can not survive without the other. Join the Tamers, as they discover people and monsters they can't even imagine. Rated T just in case. I'd like any feedback provided as well. Little bits of romance perhaps?
1. Tamers Assemble

Takato groaned, not wanting to get out of bed. He glanced at the digital alarm clock he had gotten for his birthday last year.

August 19th 7:02

Only six more days. Six more days of summer fun, then it's off to school. Back to the life of a normal kid. The normal life Takato didn't want. Sure after two years of living a peaceful life, many people would think Takato and his friends would enjoy it.

They in fact, missed all the action from their previous life. No Digimon to battle, no Digital World to explore, no D-Reaper to defeat. A normal life seemed bland compared to that. The thrill of adventure still lingered beneath the sadness that enveloped his world.

He rolled back onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling. _Guilmon. I miss you boy._

The bread snarfing goofball that was his friend was still trapped in the Digital World. No one to play tag with. No one to eat truckloads of bread with. Just stranded in a chaotic world that seemed lifetimes away.

Lucky for Takato though, Hypnos was hard at work. After saving the world, Yamaki had realized he was wrong about most Digimon. To right the wrongs he had made, the team at Hypnos were busy trying to recreate Grani. With Grani, the Tamers would be able to enter the Digital World and rescue their isolated partners.

However, Grani, aka _The Ark,_ had been a multi-million dollar project. After Grani had sacrificed himself, his blueprints had disappeared. Not only was Hypnos trying to scrounge around for the money for the project, they also had to recreate the blueprints from scratch. Despite starting the project two years ago, not much had been completed.

Takato still held onto what little hope he had though. He had made a promise, and he was not going to go back on his word. A promise had made the situation slightly more, optimistic. With a promise between best friends, it just had to be true. With the promise, it seemed more likely they would see each other again.

He swung his legs to the side of his bed and began to get ready for the day. He had promised to meet everybody at the park to practice with their cards. Takato, Henry, Ryo, and Rika were all pros, however they were slowly coaching the others with to increase their skill. Everyone was improving immensely, however Jeri was progressing the most. With Rika as her mentor, Jeri was swiftly rising to their level.

Despite the conversation being two years ago, Takato still could not reveal his true feelings for Jeri again. On the train, he had wanted to cheer Jeri up after she had lost her partner. As he continued his speech, his feelings for her poured out of his heart and became words that paled in comparison to her beauty. Of course at the time, Jeri had been brainwashed by the D-Reaper. Even after saving her life from the gigantic red blob that had tried to delete mankind, Takato could not summon the words to confess how he felt about her. Feeling troubled, he confided these feelings to Henry.

Henry neither judged, nor interrupted Takato as he explained all the churning emotions that boiled inside him. After Takato finished, Henry would give various types advice. Henry had taught Takato how to meditate, clearing his mind of these painful emotions.

"Bye mom, I'm going to the park," cried Takato as he put his green tennis shoes on. Regardless of the fact his mother had wanted to buy new clothing for the school year, Takato and the rest of his friends, kept their original attire of clothes. If- not if, _when_ their Digital partners were reunited with them, they wanted their partners to recognize them. Besides, the clothes still reminded them about their adventures with their Digimon, that it wasn't all a dream.

"Okay, honey. Here, take some bread to your friends as well," said Takato's mother as she handed him a heavy paper bag. Takato opened it, and gave a faint chuckle. Guilmon bread. After the D-Reaper incident, the bread had become a huge hit. It became so big in fact that, Guilmon became the official mascot of the bakery. Another new request, made by Kazu, was that each Digimon had their own bread. In honor of saving the world, each Digimon from the gang was now an edible creation that was permanently part of the menu.

Takato gave his mother a quick hug before running out the door. His parents had mellowed out quite a bit after the battle with the D-Reaper. His mother no longer kept him on as short as a leash as she used to. His father was as cheery as ever, happily whistling as he baked batch after batch of bread. However, despite the happiness, Takato could feel some sort of tension between his parents. Nevertheless , he didn't know what was wrong with them. He figured they were still a little traumatized after seeing their "baby boy" save the world.

Takato shrugged these thoughts off as he mounted his bike. He began to pedal towards the park, desperate not to be late to the meeting, _again_

* * *

Vixiemon struggled to open her eyes. Her Digital companions lay scattered on the long grass, still unconscious. After the bright light that had hit them, she wasn't surprised.

Hearing the footsteps of something bigger than herself, Vixiemon swerved to her left, leaping into battle stance. A little human, about Suzy's age, crawled through some prickly brambles. Vixiemon let out a strangled choking sound."Doggy!" exclaimed the child delightedly.

Before she could stop it, the child rushed over to her and began to pet her head. Vixiemon sat there unable to think or speak. Paralyzed with an endless wave of emotion, Vixiemon began to weep silently. This human, it seems insignificant, but its appearance has convinced Vixiemon of the trush. She was back, she was home! Vixiemon allowed herself a small smile, the first one in what seemed like forever.

The small child, satisfied, crawled back through the brambles, back to where ever it had come was grateful to the small human. Now that it was gone, she would lead her friends home, back to their partners and loving families. However, she also wanted to prolong the contact with the child. Now that she had returned, Vixiemon was certain that Rika would be ecstatic to be reunited with her, no matter how hard she tried to hide her emotions. But Rika was not a very intimate person, so there was limited physical contact.

There was a certain stillness in the air, one she recognized. She was being watched. Vixiemon didn't move, in fact, she rolled her eyes, "You enjoyed that didn't you?"

Yaamon crawled out from behind his tree, a huge smirk on his face. "Didn't know you gave out free pets toots. Maybe I should get in line." A nonstop bout of laughter exited his small mouth.

Vixiemon's face blushed bright red in embarrassment. She twitched her tail in frustration, eyes narrowed. "Is that so?" she questioned through gritted teeth. An idea began to take shape in her mind. Vixiemon mirrored his smirk, an evil look in her eye. "Tell anyone, and I'll coax Suie into giving you her Princess Pretty Pants treatment. I'm sure Terriermon will take plenty of pictures."

Now it was Yaamon's turn to turn a deep red. "You wouldn't dare!" he sputtered. "I'm too dignified to be wearing that much pink! Give her Pineapple Head instead, I'd bet he'd actually enjoy it!"

"Well then, somebody better keep their mouth closed." Vixiemon glanced at him, her gaze cool. "Is everyone conscious?"

Yaamon hesitated, being somewhat quiet for once. It was a moment before he spoke again. "Everyone is conscious except for Kokomon and that Doggymon. Nobody's injured…" he trailed off.

"Then what's wrong" Vixiemon asked harshly. "If it is nothing, then we must be on our way home. I am eager to see my Tamer again, as you are to see yours."

Yaamon could only give Vixiemon a sad glance. His next words were difficult for Vixiemon to process. The positive mood she had earlier disappeared in a split second.

 _Noooo._ It just couldn't be true. She hadn't had a chance to repay her debt. She hadn't had a chance to introduce him to her friends.

Yaamon held his head low. "We should return to the others. I'm sure they'll want to see everyone again." He began to hop away.

Vixiemon made no attempt to move. Slowly sinking to the ground, she buried her head in the ground and began to weep,bitterly. Her friend, her savior, Sora, had sacrificed himself, she was sure of it. Despite being held against her will by the Megas, Vixiemon had heard the din of combat, quite faintly, over the storm. Somehow, somewhere, Sora had sacrificed himself to send her and her friends home. Most likely dead, because of her.

* * *

Takato lay on a carpet of long soft grass, gazing at clouds, chuckling to himself. _That cloud looks like Guilmon after he had eaten through the entire pantry. And that one looks like Guilmon hiding from Terriermon._ Come to think about it, the more Takato looked at all the clouds, the more they all began to look like a certain red Digimon. Takato suppressed another sigh. He tried to hide it, but he longed to be with Guilmon again. Who knew that in the end, it was him, Takato, that would succumb to loneliness. The boy who brought the Tamers together and helped save the world.

Despite everything that had happened; losing Leomon, Beelzemon nearly succumbing to darkness, Jeri being corrupted by the D-Reaper, losing Guilmon is what made Takato to mentally start cracking. Every day, week, month, and year that passed, made the situation seem even more hopeless. Even if Hypnos built Grani, their best shot at reuniting with everyone, the Tamers would still have to navigate the Digital World and rescue everyone. As far as Takato knew, all of the Digimon they once knew were scattered across it, hopeless, alone, and lost.

"Wow! So this is what it feels like to be analyzing everything!" His time with Henry must be rubbing off on him. Takato glanced at the other Tamers. Now that the training session was done, everyone seemed to be doing their own thing. Kazu and Kenta were gawking at Ryo as he and Henry were battling with their cards. Jeri seemed to be making a daisy chain with the small flowers that grew in the park. Rika was sitting under a tree, closing her eyes and listening to her music. The Junior Tamers, as Kazu liked to call them, which consisted of Suzie, Ai, and Mako, were all enjoying a friendly game of tag.

The point of these training sessions were so that everyone would be able to protect themselves once they were reunited with their Digimon. Not only did it help keep everyone in contact with each other, but it also reminded everyone of their goal. To grow strong, and brave the Digital World. At first, it was Rika teaching Jeri the basics of the card game. However, after seeing this, Suzie also wanted to learn how to play. And soon, everyone was teaching everyone, creating the training unit that bound them together, as Tamers.

Takato could feel his eyes beginning to close. The stress between worrying about his friends and family, and thinking about Guilmon were beginning to take their toll on him. Slumber was beginning to grip, when he heard a rustling of leaves. Cracking his eyes open, he saw a boy, about the age of four, crawling out of some bushes. The child gave Takato a wide smile. " I help hurt doggy by petting it." It gave a gleeful squeal before tottering off, back to its mother probably.

Takato gave a small smile. It was hard to be depressed when there was a little kid around. The joyful feelings they always had seemed contagious, especially when helping out a hurt dog. He dragged himself to his feet, deciding to check on the dog. His parents had mellowed out dramatically, perhaps he could convince them to adopt it.

Sometimes, Takato was envious of Henry. Henry had a very large family, there was always someone he could play with, or relate to. After Guilmon had been ripped away from his life, Takato had begun to wish for someone his age he could be close to. This dog, it may help quench the loneliness that enveloped his heart. It would be no Guilmon, but he would definitely appreciate the company.

Crawling under the spiky brambles, Takato found himself in a small clearing. Despite his wishes, there was no dog, only an abandoned, dirty green doll. It looked somewhat like a unicorn. Stooping over to pick it up and inspect it, Takato was surprised when the doll wearily opened its eyes. "You like what you see?" it asked in a tired, but all too familiar voice.

Takato let out a gasp, nearly dropping the doll before his reflexes kicked in. "Terriermon?" Tears began to blur his vision, the Digimon were back!

Terriermon gave a weak smile. "Who else would be this good looking?" The small green Digimon closed his eyes for a moment, looking quite pathetic. " If you don't mind, I would love to see Henry."

Takato snapped out of his emotional state. "Of course!" It was only then that Takato realized how weak the Digimon sounded. He knew it wasn't his place to ask, but before he could rethink the situation, he blurted out his thoughts. "Terriermon? What happened? Is everyone okay?"

Terriermon looked away. "I- I can't explain it right now. It's just-" Before Terriermon could continue speaking, he collapsed into Takato's shaking hands.

Takato began to panic. "Terriermon!? Please! Hold on!" He stuffed the frail Digimon into the backpack he had luckily brought with him. After securing the flap, he raced through the brambles, desperate to get to Henry. As he neared Guilmon's hut, he ran inside, disrupting the card game in the process.

Kazu whined. "Dude! Ryo was about to defeat Henry with his BlackWargreymon!" He crossed his arms and began to pout.

"Henry! I need help!" cried Takato desperately. He dove into the backpack and grabbed Terriermon.

Henry's eyes widened in shock and recognition. "Terriermon!" For a split second, he was at lost, panicking as much as Takato was. Then his eyes hardened into determination. "Kazu! You're fast at running, go get some water. Kenta, I need you to tell everyone the news. Ryo, if you could pick up the cards, that would be great.

Everyone rushed to do their respective jobs, even if Kazu was muttering about how he got the lamest of jobs. Henry began examining Terriermon. "He doesn't seem to be harmed that badly, just a couple scrapes here and there. Why isn't he waking up? Come on Terriermon! Please stay with me! You only just came back. I can't lose you again." Tears were in his eyes as he begged for the little Digimon to awaken.

It was after a tense moment that a sound could be heard. A low rumble. It was then that Ryo began to laugh. "It looks like he fainted from hunger." he chuckled as he wiped his eyes.

Henry gave a smile and shook his head. "Terriermon…" he mumbled affectionately.

Takato gave a sigh of relief. "I guess it's a good thing my mom gave us so much Guilmon bread. I'll go get him some." As Takato exited the hut, he was swarmed by the rest of the anxious Tamers.

An excited Suzie began to jump around. "Are the Digimon really back?!"

Jeri on the other hand looked quite anxious. "Where are the others? she asked nervously. She clasped her hands together as she waited for an answer.

Takato quickened his pace as he headed towards the bag of bread. "Terriermon is the only one here right now. He fainted from hunger, so he needs to eat and heal up. I hope that after that, he can tell us where Guilmon and the others are." Takato re entered the hut, bread in tow, followed by all eyes. "Everyone's pretty anxious out there. How is he?" asked Takato, as he sweeped around the room with his gaze.

"He should be fine after he eats some of your bread." replied Ryo. "Kazu came in earlier and gave him a drink. It seemed to renew some of his energy." Ryo continued picking up cards. "I'll be outside, they seem to need a moment." After that, he stacked the cards neatly, stood up, and left the hut.

"Got it" Takato saw that Henry had moved to a corner of Guilmon's hut, Terriermon in his lap. Henry was currently talking to him, tears streaming down his face. Takato didn't want to intrude, but once Henry saw him, he beckoned Takato to come towards him. He held out the Guilmon bread. "Here Terriermon, eat up,"

Terriermon looked at the bread. "Is that….. Guilmon's head?" He took a tentative bite, before ravenously devouring the entire thing. "Peanut Butter filling! Guilmon's going to be so jealous. And so will-" He cut himself off, his brightened face becoming gloomy once more.

Takato's heart skipped a beat. "Terriermon?" he asked slowly. "Do you think you can tell us what happened? Did…." he paused, not wanting to say the next part.

Henry shook his head."I don't want to pressure him right now. His injuries are minor, but he seems shaken up about something."

The little Digimon shook his head. "Momentai," he said weakly. "I need to take you to the others. Vixiemon sent me to scout around for you guys, considering I had the most strength left."

Takato was confused. "Who is Vixiemon?"

Henry clarified that. "Renamon's In-Training form. But wait, if you were the strongest, does that mean everyone else has even worse injuries?" Takato prayed not. He didn't need any more heroes. All he wanted was to get his little buddy back.

Terriermon shook his head. "No one is injured too badly. Physically, anyway." Terriermon attempted to change the subject. " We need to find everyone. I'm sure everyone will be relieved to know we're home. Especially Vixiemon." he attempted to stand, only to fall into Henry's arms. "Thanks pal."

Henry caressed the Digimon. "Don't try to do too much, you'll wear yourself out even further. If you direct us to the other Digimon, I'll carry you."

Terriermon nodded. "You're the boss. I'm just gonna close my eyes for a minute…." he dozed off in an instant.

Henry gave a small smile. "Same old Terriermon." He switched his gaze to Takato. "I wanted to thank you, for reuniting us. I don't know what to feel right now though," he muttered uncertainly. "On one hand, I'm beyond happy to see him again. On the other, it tears me apart to just even think of everything he had to go through. You saw how he was acting, he wasn't joking around, he was being serious for once."

Takato gave a nod. "I'm worried about everyone else. Something happened to them in the Digital World. Something that even made Terriermon go silent."

Takato and Henry both stood up slowly, before walking out of the hut, careful not to wake the sleeping Digimon. As they neared their fellow Tamers, Henry put a finger to his lips. "Stay quiet please. I don't want to wake him." Everyone nodded, fully aware of the situation.

Rika was the first to speak, silencing everyone with a glare. "Where's Renamon?" she asked silently, eyes blazing at those who should challenge her.

Takato shrugged, 'Terriermon knows where they are, but right now he needs to rest. He's been through a lot and needs to rest." Rika nodded understandingly, but clearly not satisfied with the answer.

Kenta meekly spoke up. "Are they okay? Their not injured are they?"

"Physically, they're all fine, if not a little banged up" Henry stated. "It's their mental state I'm worried about. Terriermon tried to hide it, but he seemed pretty shaken up about something."

"I'm fine" piped up a little voice. Henry looked down to see Terriermon awake. "I know how badly you guys want to see everyone, and I also know how badly they want to see you guys. So lets stop all the waterworks and go see them already."

"Terriermon" Henry replied affectionately. He began to follow the Digimon's instructions, being swiftly followed by everyone else.

Besides for an occasional direction from Terriermon, the silence that followed the Tamers seemed unnatural. Everyone was in his, or her, own thoughts, trying to think of what to say. Out of instinct, Takato stole a look at Jeri. She didn't look as excited, nor as anxious, as everyone else was. "Jeri," he whispered. She glanced up. "Are you feeling okay?"

Jeri opened her mouth as if to say she were fine, only to shake her head. "I don't know how to feel. I want to see all the Digimon again, but not seeing Leomon among them, I can't help but feel lonely." She gazed at the ground, as her feet seemed very interesting at the moment.

Takato desperately tried to think of something to say, however, nothing came to mind. "Jeri, you are ne- oof" Without word, Ryo, the person in front of Takato, had stopped. "What's going on?" asked Takato. Without a word, Ryo politely stepped aside, not taking his eyes off the scene before him, his expression looking sad.

Tears. Not a single Digimon was without them. These were not tears of happiness however, as Takato soon came to realize. They were quite the opposite. Some were shed silently, others were trickling off of faces as they splattered to the ground. Every single Digimon, still in their In-Training form, except for Guilmon, strange enough as he was in his Rookie form, were trying to console one pitiful, dejected,creature. Renamon. The poor In-Training Digimon was weeping uncontrollably. She occasionally let out a forlorn wail to release some of the sorrow within her.

Rika's horrified expression quickly morphed into a sympathetic one. She entered the ring of Digimon and crouched right in front of her partner. "Renamon," she called soothingly.

The mess of a Digimon looked up. "Rika!" she wailed. She ran into her Tamer's arms, releasing another wave of tears. Her sobs were now muffled, but they seemed to intensify.

Takato felt grim. If Renamon was this shaken up, and all the other Digimon were crying this hard, something terrible had happened in the Digital World. He did a head count, everyone he knew was there. He sighed in relief, at least no one else had been lost. He was extremely happy to see Guilmon, somehow still in his Rookie form. However, the normally happy dinosaur let loose a mournful moan. "What's wrong boy? What happened?"

Guilmon simply shook his head. "I don't wanna talk right now. Renamon is sad. And now I'm sad." He glanced at the ground, and shut his eyes, almost as if he were trying to shut the world out. Takato glanced at the other Tamers, seeing if they were having any better luck with their Digimon.

Ryo sat on the ground next to his partner. He seemed unsure of what to do or say, as his partner, Cyberdramon, was normally a fighting machine, devoid of all emotion. Now, here it was, a frightened, crying, tiny purple ball, wailing its little heart out.

Suzie hugged Lopmon into her chest, murmuring the occasional "It's okay Lopmon." Lopmon appeared to be paralyzed, as if her mind were in a completely different world. She stood stone still as Suzie attempted to console her.

Impmon stood in the grass, crying, but looking very angry as well. Ai and Mako were hugging him, which seemed to help, but that still didn't stop the imp from crying his tears of rage. "It shouldn't have been him." Then he began to mumble unintelligibly.

MarineAngemon seemed to be singing a song. It sound quite beautiful, but it also sound sad. Guardromon translated it. "It, it is a song." The next words were hard for him to speak. "For the fallen."

Takato could hear the rest of the Tamers gasp. Someone… had…. had died? Who? He tried to rack his brain. Babamon and Jijimon? The Geckomon? None of the Digimon clearly wanted to talk about it, so he kept his mouth shut. Takato walked over to Guilmon and gripped him into an embrace, the one he had been waiting for, for two long years. Guilmon happily hugged him back, crying into his shoulder. All Takato could do was hold onto Guilmon, and try to comfort him, as the sad dinosaur cried. MarineAngemon continued to sing, as the sunlight began to fade into the darkness.

It was then that Takato saw two Digimon he had never seen looked like a kind of cartoonish dog. It was yellow with blue ears. A blue D was emblazoned on its chest like that of a second Digimon looked like a beautiful swan. With a graceful long neck, the white and purple feathers looked like a petticoat. An elegant choker with two golden wings was worn on the slender neck. A dainty head and a narrow beak made the Digimon look like a fashion model.

Takato stepped protectively in front of Guilmon, none of the Digimon were in any sort of condition to fight. It was then that Guilmon spoke up. "No Takato. They are friends." Takato nodded, stepping down. As he looked at them, he realized that they had been asleep.

"What are we going to do with those two then?" he asked, gesturing to the two mysterious Digimon. The other Tamers saw what he was gesturing at.

"Do they belong to anyone?" asked Henry. He gazed thoughtfully at them as he continued to stroke Terriermon.

Lopmon, finally rejoining the land of the living, decided to speak. "They do not belong to anyone, however, it was them who helped us get home. Without them, we would have perished long ago." she paused, before continuing unexpectedly. "They were his friends. They had awoken earlier, heartbroken to know that." It took a moment before Lopmon was ready to say the the next part. " to know that he was gone."

"Who is _he_?" asked Jeri gently.

 _Jeri was the most experienced with loss, she should be able to help console everyone._ thought Takato. He didn't say it, but he was also curious what sort of Digimon "He" was.

At the mention of "He", this bought a fresh wave of sobs to Renamon, who had just begun to calm down. Rika scowled at everyone. " We best not talk about it. As for now, I need to take Renamon home. She needs time alone." And with that, Rika walked off, attempting to console her partner.

Following her cue, many of the other Tamers went home, leaving just Henry, Suzie, Takato, and Ryo. "What are we going to do with the Digimon?" Ryo asked, gesturing his head to the two slumbering Digimon. "It just doesn't seem right to leave them here."

Henry nodded. "Of course we're not going to leave them. Considering my family, I'll be able to take one of them with me. I would take both, but it would be a bit too chaotic and crowded."

Before he could speak another word, Suzie raced over to the bird Digimon. "I wanna take this one home Henry! She looks soo cute! Can we please?" she asked as she gushed over it.

Henry shook his head defeatedly. "I guess I know which one I'm picking then." He handed Suzie Terriermon whom was fast asleep. "Don't wake him." he said quietly. "I'll carry the bird. I only wish we are our D-Powers, so we can analyze them. Not knowing who they are is frustrating." Hefting the bird Digimon onto his shoulders, Henry began to walk home with Suzie. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then,"

Ryo glanced at Takato apologetically. "Sorry Takato, but my dad will already be mad for bringing Cyberdramon home." He stooped over and picked up his slumbering partner who had fallen asleep as well. "Gotta go, bye" he said, as he also began to walk home.

Takato sighed, "Well boy, I guess you have a friend now." He looked over to find Guilmon only half awake. Seeing his partner, an idea formed in his mind. Opening his backpack, he pulled a slightly squashed paper bag out. "Here, it's a little squished, but it should help motivate you to come home."

Guilmon sleepily put his head in the bag, and sniffed. Mere seconds later pulled his head out, chewing frantically. His eyes widened as he stared at Takato. "Guilmon bread?!" he asked excitedly.

Takato nodded, pleased his Digimon was happy. "There'll be more at the shop, but I need your help to get him home," he asked, gesturing to the sleeping dog.

"Okie Dokie!" Guilmon grabbed the Digimon and put it on his back, still looking for more bread in the bag. Takato had forgotten how strong his Digimon was, astounding him with his strength.

Takato and Guilmon happily walked home, talking about different types of bread the Guilmon wanted to eat. As they approached the shop entrance, Takato's mom stormed out, once her son was in view. "Takato! How many times have I told you to come back before it gets dark?" she scolded.

Takato was too happy to care about being yelled at. "But mom! He's back" It was then that saw what her son was talking about.

"Guilmon?" she asked, dumbfounded. A smile spread across her face. "Your home! That's all that matters. To both of you." As she said this, she heard a peculiar noise.

Guilmon looked at Mrs. Matsuki with pleading eyes. "Can I have a Guilmon bread? I want to eat a loaf shaped like my head!"

Mrs. Matsuki gave a laugh. "Of course. I'll have my husband make you plenty." She turned to her son, a sly smile on her face. "Is there anything you wanted, honey?"

Takato glanced at Guilmon, his own smile plastered onto his face, "I already have everything I wanted." It was then he remembered what he was supposed to be doing. "Actually, you see that Digimon on Guilmon's back? Well, he's a nice Digimon, but he has no where to go. I was hoping we could keep him here for a bit."

She looked the Digimon over. "He doesn't look so good. Do you know what's wrong with him?"

Takato glanced at Guilmon who was stuffing his face with bread. " He recently lost someone close to him. I don't know who, or how it happened, all I know is that it affected everyone."

For a split second, Mrs. Matsuki's face became an expression that Takato had never seen before. He blinked, and she was back to normal, he must have imagined it. She smiled and agreed to allow the strange Digimon to stay.

It was only then, that Takato realized how tired he was. It had been a very exciting day, what with getting their partners back. Entering the shop, he waved to his dad, and trudged upstairs to his room. Despite two years, his room had stayed the way it was, a few new drawings here and there. Stripping down, Takato threw on a pair of blue pajamas, got into bed, and happily began to drift into his dreams. His last conscious thought was that he only hoped Guilmon would be here in the morning, that it hadn't been a dream. And thus, darkness consumed him.


	2. A Behemoth Problem

**Greeting Readers! It warms my heart to see people actually liking this. I want to continue. Plese give me feedback so I can improve. Even ideas would be nice. I have a plan, but I may put suggestions in. ONE REVIEW! I love you zero fullbuster! This is dedicated to you.**

* * *

Rika and Renamon, sat side by side, both sitting cross legged in deep meditation. The companionable silence put Rika at ease, helping her relax as she cleared her mind. Renamon too, seemed at peace. She was no longer the frail Digimon Rika had been trying to console. She had regained her status as always being calm, cool, and collected.

Rika opened her eyes, scanning her backyard for something amiss. Beside her, Rika could feel her partner tense up. "You have sensed it too?" Rika nodded.

Renamon stood up, also scanning the landscape. Her eyes darted to her left. Renamon, using her incredibly fast reflexes, charged into Rika, and pushed her to the ground. A second later, in the spot she had just been in, an enormous black hand slammed into the ground. Rika dared to look up at her attacker.

It's dark figure dominated the sky, being very massive and muscular. The creature's two legs were quite stubby but thin, and curled upwards where the toes would be. It's arms however where very long, almost hiding the two stunted wings on its back. On its chest was oddly enough,rather through its chest, a large heart shaped hole, Rika could literally see right through it. Rika tried to discern what the head looked like, but it was covered in a mass of tentacles. Only its two menacing yellow eyes were visible.

"What kind of Digimon is that?" she asked. Renamon shook her head, not knowing the answer. The large beast gave a bellow, enraged at having missed it's target. "if it's a fight it wants, its a fight it's going to get." She pulled out a card and slid it in her D-Power. "Digi-modify!" She flipped the card. "Digivolution activate!"

Renamon began to glow an intense light, radiating energy. "Renamon digivolve to!" Renamon got onto her hands and feet as she became quadrupedal. Her single tail grew in length, as well as in numbers, stopping at nine. The ends of her tails, and her paws became enveloped in a mystical blue flame. Her head and neck grew a beautiful white mane, matching perfectly with the Ying/Yang symbols marking her body. "Kyubimon!"

Kyubimon rushed in towards the unknown enemy, her tail's luminescence increasing. "Fox Tail Inferno!" Numerous fire balls launched, peppering the enemy with fire. Smoke cleared, yet the enemy was still standing, unfazed.

Rika stared at it with disbelief, "It didn't even flinch!" The monstrosity reached out towards Rika, slowly lumbering towards her.

Kyubimon stood protectively in front of Rika. "You will not harm her." She jumped into the air, spinning very fast. Her body began to erupt into an inferno, becoming a massive blue fire ball. Kyubimon launched herself, "Dragon Wheel!"

Her target didn't even hit its mark. The creature decided it was done playing around and retaliated. It lifted an arm and swatted Kyubimon. She flew like a sack of potatoes, landing into a sidewalk, creating a crater. Out of energy, she reverted back to Renamon. Renamon then closed her eyes, falling unconscious.

Rika looked on, horrified. "Renamon!" She attempted to run towards her partner, only to be stopped. The creature's inky black hand had wrapped itself around her waist. Rika attempted to squirm free, but its grip was too strong. She was hoisted into the air, brought directly to the front of the creature's face. It glared at her with menacing unblinking tentacles wrapped on its head slowly began to uncurl, reaching toward Rika. _Where were her friends when she needed them most?_

Rika's eyes flew open as she bolted into a sitting position. The covers flew off her and onto the ground. She stared into the distance, breathing heavily, beads of sweat dripping off her face. _It was a dream? But it seemed so real._ Rika took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself.

Renamon was leaning against her wall when she looked up. "I heard your heartbeat increase. Are you alright?" she asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Rika nodded. "It was just a bad dream, no big deal." she muttered.

Renamon turned to leave, only to stop and look backwards. Her face looked conflicted as she debated on what to do."Would you like to talk about it?" she asked slowly.

Rika shook her head. The last thing she needed was to look weak in front of her traumatized Digimon. "Was there something you wanted to talk about?" Rika had asked many times about what had happened to her Digimon in the Digital World, however, Renamon had not been able to speak. Just the mention of it caused her to shake.

Renamon paused, caught off guard by the question. Rika could tell her partner was attempting to choose her words carefully. " I only wish to remain with you. I have lost a valuable friend already. If I were to lose you, I do not know if I could forgive myself. We have only been reunited for five days, but I am grateful to be by your side again. I am also glad to be back to normal. Being so weak, unable to do anything, it infuriated me to sit on the sidelines." she looked down. " If I were this strong,back then, perhaps _he_ would still be alive."

Rika knew she was on delicate territory, this was the most Renamon has said since her return. " This was… your friend?" she asked tentatively.

Renamon was about to reply, however, she was interrupted by an insistent beeping. Rika looked at her nightstand, her D-Power making the sound. "A Digimon!"

"Let us see what it is then." Renamon began to run, disappearing with an incredible amount of speed. Rika followed, grabbing her bike, pedaling out into the night.

* * *

Henry shuddered as the swirling fog shrouded his body. Terriermon was on his head, making his ears feel warm. "Where is it?" He glanced at his D-Power. _This is definitely a gate, but where's the Digimon?_

Terriermon gave a sigh. "How long are we going to be out here? It's _freezing_!" he insisted. Suddenly, he looked to the right. "I don't know about the Digimon, but Takato and Ryo are here. I hope they brought some snacks, I'm starving!"

Henry shook his head. "Terriermon…" he sighed, walking to his friends. "I scanned the area, but I can't find the Digimon. It's as if it never came."

Ryo frowned. "It just has to be here. Monodramon said he picked up a scent." He looked at his partner who continued to sniff the air, Guilmon joining him.

"I didn't realize Monodramon's nose was that powerful." said Takato. As he looked around, Guilmon's ears pricked up. "What's wrong boy?"

Guilmon turned around. "I heard something. It sounds like breakfast!" he exclaimed , confusing Takato. Guilmon ran deeper into the fog.

"Guilmon! This isn't the time to be thinking about food!" Takato ran after him, attempting to keep up.

Henry started after him, only to be stopped by Ryo. "He'll be back. C'mon, let's get back to looking for that Digimon. We need to find it before it causes people to panic."

Henry nodded. "After two years, I'm glad everyone came home. This may not be the safest of hobbies, but I missed it."

Terriermon's eyes popped out. "We've been gone for two years!"

Henry smiled. "You forgot that time was different in the Digital World didn't you? How long did you think you were gone?"

Terriermon instantly smiled right back. "Momentai! If we've been gone for two years, that means I missed two years of Princess Pretty Pants. That's one thing I don't mind missing."

Henry was about to reply with a witty remark, but he was interrupted by a breathless Takato. "You guys are gonna want to see this." he panted. With that, he rushed back into the fog, tailed by Ryo and Henry.

They eventually stopped behind Guilmon, whom was looking at something very curiously. "Takato, it's moving!" Seeing the others, he stepped away, revealing what appeared to be an eggshell. Inside half of it was a small squirming organism. It was a simple white ball shaped Digimon with small blue wings protruding from its back. It gazed at the Tamers and Digimon with fearful eyes.

Henry gasped. "Is that a baby Digimon?" He gazed at the eggshell remains the Digimon had emerged from. The egg itself was covered in simple blue spots, but that wasn't what caught his eye. It was a large purple X that seemed to signify something. "Anyone know what this means?" he asked, pointing to it.

Ryo shook his head. "I don't have a clue. What do you suppose brought it here in the first place though? If it was an egg, then coming here couldn't have been intentional." Guilmon attempted to sniff it, managing to make contact.

Takato had a thoughtful look on his face. "Do you think, maybe." he paused, collecting himself. "Maybe it's for Jeri? She's still a Tamer, and she does need a Digimon."

Henry's gaze turned to Takato, turning sympathetic. _One day, he'll be able to talk to Jeri. He just needs time._ Henry sharpened his mind, attempting to think. "Perhaps. Although, it could be just sheer luck. I mean, look at Leomon. He wasn't Jeri's partner originally. It took time for their bond to form, allowing them to become partners. I'm not sure how she'll react to getting a new Digimon."

Terriermon scrambled down from Henry's head and jumped onto Guilmon. "What are we gonna do with it?" Henry shivered as the chill reached his ears.

Ryo scratched the top of his head, "It looks pretty harmless. Then again, appearances can be deceiving" He looked at Monodramon with a knowing look in his eye. "Maybe we should take it to Jeri like Takato suggested. Her D-Power might react to it."

Takato was about to reply, but he was interrupted by a swift figure, jumping over him. Henry squinted against the fog, attempting to see what it was, but was relieved to see a beautiful blue flame break the fog.

Rika and Kyubimon walked side by side as they approached the other Tamers. Ryo greeted her. "Hey Wildcat, fancy meeting you here."

Rika glared in his direction. "Can it, I'm not in the mood." She spun around, fiercely looking for their opponent. "Did you already send it running?"

Takato shook his head. " There was never a Digimon. Or, at least one that wanted to hurt us anyway."

Rika raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled. " Anyone else making sense of what Gogglehead is saying?"

Ryo smirked. "He means we found a baby Digimon. Newly hatched as well. We were debating what to do with it when you showed up."

Rika rolled her eyes. "Another stray Digimon?!" she scoffed. "What are we, a Digimon daycare? All we're missing is snack time."

Guilmon looked at Rika with his puppy eyes. "I don't miss snack time. I love snack time!" he giggled before returning to playing with the newborn Digimon.

Rika sighed. "What digimon are we dealing with anyway?" Her fellow Tamers shrugged, unsure. "You mean to tell me that you guys have done nothing productive?!" Rika yelled. "Surrounded by idiots" she muttered, aiming her D-Power at the infant monster. The device hummed mechanically as it searched through its archives for the Digimon. "I'm not getting anything. This thing is a piece of junk!" Rika cried, gripping her D-Power fiercely.

Henry stifled a yawn, rubbing his eyes. "Whatever we do, we should do it quickly. We have school in a few hours."

Takato's head snapped up. "School doesn't start until tomorrow. We have plenty of time."

Ryo shook his head. "Actually right now it's 3 am. The sun will be up in a few hours. That'll bring early risers and teachers with it. I agree with Henry, we need to get this Digimon off the streets before people see it."

Takato looked at his shoes. "Aw nuts. I was hoping to get a few more hours of sleep. Guilmon snores like a bulldozer." He gazed at his partner in a teasing way.

The red dinosaur looked up from the baby digimon. "Well Takato pushes me around when he's sleeping. I keep falling onto the floor."

Rika still glaring at her D-Power, stuffed it into her pocket angrily. "What do we do with it?" she demanded. " None of us can take it home, and we can't leave it here."

Renamon crouched down, picking up the Digimon. " I shall take it to Guilmon's hut. While you are at school, I will watch it. We will think of a solution at a later time." Before anyone can argue, she used her incredible speed, disappearing into the night.

The Tamers bid each other goodnight and left in their separate directions. Henry pedaled home on his bike brusquely as Terriermon held onto his head for dear life. Stopping in the parking lot beneath his apartment, Henry chained his bike and took the stairs up to his home. He silently went through the front door, feeling his way through the dark household. Entering his room, he flopped onto his bed.

"Henry?" mumbled his partner sleepily. The Digimon was curling up on his chest, eyes closed.

"Yeah?"

"I missed you."

Henry smiled. The past five days had been wonderful. Since Terriermon and Lopmon had returned, his family had been in high spirits. Now that his older brother Rinchei was in college, the household was much quieter. That had changed quickly however, now that Suzie was running around the house, playing with Lopmon. The Swanmon, named Donald apparently, was living in his brother's room. Suzie had been very disappointed to learn that it was a he, not a she. Donald never left the room. Henry supposed that whatever had happened in the Digital World had shaken the poor Digimon up. Terriermon as well, still hadn't spoken. Henry didn't want to pressure his Digimon into talking about something he didn't want to, so he left the subject alone. "I missed you too Terriermon."

Closing his eyes, Henry attempted to get his three hours of necessary sleep. Tomorrow was a big day, you only start high school once.

* * *

Takato cracked his eyelids open slowly. sunlight flooded the room, causing him to squint. he rubbed his eyes, attempting to wake up. A loud rustling heightened his senses, causing him to look around his room. He spotted Doggymon, shuffling some papers on his desk. " Oh" His body relaxed, glad there wasn't an intruder. " Hey Doggymon."

The Doggymon gave a small wave as it continued to rearrange the room. When his mother had allowed for the Digimon to stay, she had not known it would help around the house. Doggymon was a great help; doing dishes, dusting the house, and even baking bread with his dad. Since it had nowhere to stay, the poor thing had to sleep on the floor with nothing but a blanket and a pillow. Despite this, the Digimon still helped out, desperate to work. Takato had a feeling this was because of whatever happened in the Digital World. Guilmon still had not spoken about the events that had happened. Takato was dying to know, worried for his friends there, but felt too self conscious to ask.

Takato gave his arms a good stretch as he sat up in bed. Doggymon waved it paw in front of his face to urgently get his attention. "What's wrong Doggymon? Do you need something?" The Digimon pointed at his nightstand with a jabbing paw. Takato looked and saw the alarm clock he had gotten for his birthday.

8:06 am

Takato's jaw dropped. He bolted out of bed, rushing to the bathroom. "Aw nuts! I only have twenty minutes! Thanks Doggymon!" As Takato opened the door, he tripped, falling onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Sounds like someone decided to join the land of the living" he heard his mom chuckle from downstairs. Takato gave a groan, she was enjoying this way too much.

Finishing his proper hygiene ritual, he returned to his room to find some clothes folded on his bed. _Doggymon must have put them there._ Smiling, Takato threw them on, grateful to the silent Digimon.

Making his way down the stairs, he went into the kitchen, passing his busy father. "Morning dad!" he exclaimed, quickly. The flour covered man that was his father kept his eyes trained on the dough as he continued to knead it.

"Late again, son?"

Takato gave a nervous chuckle. " I'm not going to be late dad, just not as early as I should be." Before the conversation could continue, his mom walked into the kitchen with an empty tray.

"Well mister, you should be on your way to school, not sitting here wasting the day away. I put your lunch on the counter." She turned towards her husband. "Honey, we're out of creampuffs again. Can you make a few batches?"

Her husband gave her a smile. "Sure thing, just let me put these biscuits into the oven." Feeling short on time, Takato deserted the kitchen and went to the counter, grabbing his lunch. As he walked towards the front door, he saw Guilmon, carrying trays of half eaten food back and forth.

"Bye boy! I'll see you after school!" His partner gave him a small wave before going into the kitchen, depositing his load. _Guilmon?_ The Digimon was being oddly quiet today. Takato would have loved to stay and make sure he was okay, but he really needed to go to school. He hurriedly got on his bike and pedaled as fast as he could, attempting to not crash into any buildings.

 _Please don't ring, please don't ring,_ he chanted, as the school came into view. Lucky for him, he managed to park his bike, walk into the building, and find himself outside his assigned room before the bell even chimed. Takato walked in, taking in the surrounding room.

Thirty six desks all lined in order filled the room and motivational posters coated the walls, brightening the room. Large windows showed the beautiful outside landscape, where Takato would much rather be. He scanned the room, looking for the familiar faces of friends. Eventually, he spotted Henry, Jeri, and Kenta chatting in a corner. Giving them a wave, he sauntered up, pulled over a chair, and sat down next to Henry.

"Digimon attack?" Asked Henry smiling.

Takato smiled sheepishly. "I kinda woke up late. Had to rush out of the door."

Jeri gave a small giggle. "We've all overslept at least once." She looked around nervously. "Who do you think our teacher will be?"

Kenta meekly gave his opinion. " I hope its someone nice. I finally have a class away from Kazu for once. Now I can finally get some work done." He smirked as he envisioned his Kazu free days.

As the final bell rang, Takato slouched in his seat, breathing a sigh of relief. "Glad I got here in time. I don't want to get on our teacher's bad side on our first day."

Jeri smiled. "When we had Miss Asagi, you were always late. It's nice to see that changing." she looked away. "Like a lot of things lately." she muttered, looking at the floor.

Takato looked at Jeri longingly. He wished he could take all of her pain away. She was clearly still upset over everyone having their Digimon back and not having Leomon. Takato would have loved to tell Jeri how he really felt, however, after the D-Reaper incident, his confidence had diminished. He could no longer look her in the eye, only from afar.

Henry caught Takato staring at her and gave him a sympathetic look. Takato simply nodded his head before going back to his thoughts. Henry would always be there for him, Takato knew that. And Takato would always be there for him. When Terriermon had disappeared, Takato had been there, bringing Henry pictures and bread in the shape of the hyperactive bunny. When Takato had broken down at the park one day, Henry had arrived, not judging Takato for being weak, nor being patronizing. Henry had simply sat down next to him, stared at the clouds, and commented on the weather. It was Henry's open mindedness that Takato truly admired about his friend.

A sudden tapping of heels interrupted his pondering mind. The pattern they walked in, it sounded familiar. His mind reeled in horror. _No, it couldn't be_. His suspicions were correct when the classroom door opened, an elegant shadow walking in. _Oh no. It's her._

"Good morning class, my name is Miss. Asagi, and I will be your teacher for the year. Some of you, I had previously. I am happy to see your faces again." Miss Asagi walked to her desk and wrote her name on the chalkboard.

Takato exchanged a horrified glance with Kenta. Miss Asagi was a nice enough person, but as a teacher, she was pretty strict.

Miss Asagi, for the rest of the day, continued to give various speeches on how to tap into a person's true potential. Takato stifled a groan, this was his mother every other day of the week. As the final bell rang, sat in front of the door, between him, and freedom. "Now class, for your homework tonight, I expect a seven page essay on the value of hard work. It will be due tomorrow." She gave her students a smile. " Have a nice day!" And with that, she walked to her desk, allowing the kids to go free.

All the enthusiastic kids fled the room, many well on their way home. Only Jeri, Kenta, and Takato lingered behind, slowly packing their belongings. Once they finished, they slowly walked to her desk, Jeri smiling, Kenta shuffling, and Takato thinking. Jeri broke the ice. "It's nice to see you again,ma'am!"

Miss Asagi looked up from her papers, a smile plastered to her face. "Jeri! You've certainly grown into a beautiful young woman over the years! And Takato and Kenta, you two are dashing gentlemen!"

The "dashing young man" was surprised. _Mrs. Asagi sure has mellowed out in the past two years. Maybe she isn't so bad…_ An insistent ringing echoed from the desk. _I can't think straight today with all these interruptions._

"I'm sorry, that should be off." Mrs. Asagi grabbed her phone and looked at the screen. Her happy smile was replaced by a worried scowl. "I need to take this." And with that, their teacher rushed out of the room, heels clicking rapidly against the wooden floor.

Kenta looked into the empty doorway. "I hope she's okay," he said, speaking his thoughts aloud.

Takato gave a wave of his hand. "Miss Asagi will be fine. It's not like she has to deal with crazy stuff like us. I bet her emergency has to deal with a kid forgetting his homework or something."

"I don't know. looked pretty worried." voiced Jeri. The shy girl gripped the edges of her backpack nervously. "Do we wanna go to the park? Everyone should be there by now."

"Aww, I have to go see Kazu again? I was just starting to get used to these brain cells." Kenta gave a sigh. "Let's go." And with that, they left the school building.

It wasn't until they nearly got to the park before Takato saw something. Just from the corner of his eye, he saw something that made him confused. "Guilmon!" he called to the Digimon.

Guilmon paid him no heed, running straight past the Tamers. Takato sat there, stunned momentarily. _What's wrong?_ He shook his head, getting back into gear. "We need to follow him." he exclaimed. Jeri and Kenta nodded, following his lead.

Guilmon was running towards the park, swiftly and soundlessly. Takato had a bad feeling it was to do with the Digimon Renamon had grabbed last night. As they were coming up to Guilmon's hut, Takato could hear the sound of Gargomon's Gargo Lasers, as well as the beating of wings.

Finally arriving on scene, Takato caught himself in the middle of a battle. One side consisted of Gargomon defending an injured Kyubimon. The other was a rampant Digimon.

The Digimon looked a lot like a bee. The first details that caught his eye were its golden and brown stripes. It's massive lower half consisted of a giant bulb. Many spikes protruded from it, as well as a menacing looking stinger. Its tiny torso connected its head, as well as its powerful buzzing wings. It was currently battling Cyberdramon, flying back and forth as it hurled itself at the dragon Digimon.

Cyberdramon growled, attempting to slash as the enemy Digimon. "Desolation Claw!" he rasped, clawing at it.

None of his attacks hit, as the bee Digimon effortlessly evaded them. The tip of its massive stinger began to glow a neon green. "Turbo Stinger!" it yelled, firing a volley of green energy bolts. Unlike Cyberdramon's attempt, every single bolt hit their target. The damaged dragon spiraled towards the ground, his wing damaged.

Ryo ran towards his Digimon. "Cyberdramon!" He attempted to help the Ultimate off the ground, only to be swatted gently by his partner, who preferred to pick himself off the ground.

"This Digimon." Cyberdramon spoke unexpectedly. " It has much strength."

Takato ran near his friends as Gargomon continued to fire at the insectoid. "Why don't we Biomerge? I've tried scanning it with my Digivice, but I'm still getting nothing."

Ryo stared intently on the raging Digimon, his gaze unwavering. "The power to Biomerge comes from the Sovereign themselves. Something seems to have happened to them, so we can't," he answered grimly.

Takato reached into his pocket and pulled out his golden Digivice, feeling determined. _I have to help them!_ "Guilmon, you ready?" His partner nodded, giving a fierce, feral growl. Takato grabbed at his cards, searching until he found the right one. "Digi-Modify! Digivolution activate!"

"Guilmon digivolve to!" The red Digimon began to grow rapidly, tripling in size. A white mane sprouted, along with a pair of stubby horns. Various black markings appeared upon his body, adding a splash of color. "Growlmon!"

The newly Digivolved Champion rushed forth, gathering energy. "Pyro-Blaster!" The red laser made contact, hitting the tip of an upper wing.

The enemy Digimon began to wobble, losing a bit of altitude. It managed to recover, however, as Takato noticed, it was moving slower. He pictured Cyberdramon spiraling to the ground, collapsing. "Aim for its wings!" Takato cried. "We can ground it!"

Henry nodded. "You know what to do Gargomon!"

The hyperactive bunny shifted his arms, targeting the rapid wings. "Right!" he shouted. He began to fire, renewed by the goal. "Gargo Lasers!"

His bullets pelted through the air, most of them passing harmlessly. A few of them managed to graze the already damaged wing, sustaining more wounds.

Just as Takato had hoped, the Digimon had begun to spiral downwards, as Cyberdramon did moments before.

Before it hit the ground, Cyberdramon tackled it, letting loose a savage howl. He began to scratch it with his sharp claws, giving into his rage.

Ryo could do nothing but watch in horror. "Cyberdramon! Stop this! He is not the enemy you're looking for!" he cried desperately. His partner paid him no heed, continuing with his onslaught of attacks.

"Growlmon! Stop Cyberdramon!" Takato ordered, desperate to stop the slaughter. _Cyberdramon's gone too far!_

The titanic red reptile tackled Cyberdramon, attempting to pin him to the ground. Gargomon also joined in, adding his weight to the pile. The Ultimate Digimon threw the two Champions off as though they weighed nothing, stubbornly trying to return to his prey.

However, the damaged Champion Digimon had disappeared. The only trace of it that remained was a black looking void.

Henry gazed at it suspiciously. "What is that?" he asked uncertainly.

Rika finally made an appearance, supporting a worn out Renamon on her shoulder. "Do we want to know? That one Digimon nearly hammered _all_ of our Digimon. If we can't Bio-Merge, we can't get as strong as we used to be."

Henry nodded. "For all we know, that could be where it came from. It looks a lot like a portal to the Digital World. Who knows how much has changed since we left?"

Kenta appeared, having been hiding in a pair of bushes. "So should we just go home then? I know I have a lot of work from Miss Asagi."

"And where was your Digimon!?" Rika grumbled loudly. " We really could have used some healing!" She shouted, gesturing to Cyberdramon and Renamon.

He's at home!" Kenta said defensively. Then he bowed his head in shame. "Probably watching cartoons again."

Rika sighed in disgust. "I can't believe you!"

Henry gave a small smile. "Don't worry Kenta, if Rika's mad at you, imagine how mad she'll be at Kazu."

Rika snarled, "Don't even start with him! When I find him, he's gonna wish he had showed up when he did!"

All the Tamers gave a small laugh, some of the tension having lifted. Cyberdramon simply growled as he leaned against a tree, distancing himself from the humans and Digimon. Takato remembered that he too had a large amount of homework to complete.

Takato looked up at Growlmon expectantly. "C'mon Guilmon, why don't we go home, we can eat a snack, finish my homework, and explain to my mom why we were late." It was then he realized his Digimon wasn't listening to him.

Growlmon gave a low growl. Cyberdramon as well, rose from his tree giving a vicious snarl. "Something is coming," The red Digimon warned.

All eyes gazed at the dark gate cautiously. A large mass began to emerge from the inky void. It dwarfed Growlmon, being thrice his size. The bubble of darkness broke, revealing the purple hide of a massive creature. Twin tusks guarded the face of the hoofed monstrosity. A large needle-like horn on the top of its head, the creature bored into the souls of the Tamers with its menacing yellow eyes. Emblazoned upon its chest was a large crossed out black heart, signifying some sort of cruel fate.

Gargomon gave a tired and defeated sigh. "We can't ever catch a break can we?"

Takato gazed worriedly at Growlmon. His Champion hadn't expended that much energy fighting the previous Digimon. But there was something about this new one that gave him a bad feeling. Something… dark.

Ryo held up his D-Power. "I can't get any data on it. We are finding way too many unknown Digimon these days."

Cyberdramon, not waiting for an invitation, leapt straight on to the unknown foe. "Desolation Claw!" He exclaimed, letting loose numerous slices with his powerful claws.

The great beast didn't react in the slightest. As Cyberdramon hacked harmlessly at its hide, the creature began to growl, apparently growing impatient. Raising its tusked head to the sky, it gave a deafening roar, causing the Tamers to cover their ears. Almost as impossible as it sounds, lightning began to rain from the sky, striking the Digimon numerous times.

Takato ran to Growlmon, fearing for the worst. Black char coated the dinosaurs thick reptilian skin, showing where the bolts hit. "Takato, you have to leave," the injured Digimon choked out, clearly in pain.

The Tamer could only gaze in horror. "I'm not leaving you." he whispered. Takato began to stroke his Digimon's hand, attempt to comfort not only his friend, but himself.

The purple monster gave another roar, sounding triumphant. Takato gazed helplessly at the sky, hope draining rapidly. Jeri sat at the entrance to the park, frozen in fear. His fellow Tamers sat with their Digimon, as though preparing for the end. There was no way they could fight back. This, this was the end.

* * *

 **Can I please get 2 more reviews? Anything at all. I'll even take a fireball to face, I know my writing can be bad. I've been having a long depression episode, just turned a year old, and if people could review, it would give me motivation. With something to look forward to, I just know I'll get better and faster. So please?**


	3. A Monsterous Nightmare

"Guardian Barrage!" Multiple missiles impacted against the monster's face, a cloud of smoke appearing. Kazu, sitting atop Guardromon's back smirked confidently. "Were you guys waiting on me? Because I totally creamed that Digi-"

Henry interrupted him. "Kazu look out!" he warned. The beast lumbered forward, swinging at the mechanical robot with an oversized tusk.

Kazu shielded his face with an upraised arm. "Ohhh man!" he exclaimed nervously. At the last second, just as the tusk was about to make contact, a bubble formed around Guardromon, a heart shaped bubble.

Coming from behind Guardromon, out from Kazu's pocket, came MarineAngemon. The undersized Mega closed its eyes in concentration as it held back the tusk with the seemingly fragile bubble.

Kenta gave a jubilant whoop. "I knew you would come here!" It was then that he noticed that there was a large brown smear all across his Partner's face. "MarineAngemon, what happened to you face?"

Kazu looked into his pocket and pulled out a pile of wrappers. "Oh come on! You stole my chocolate! I was saving that for later!" he whined.

Ryo cleared his throat. " Is this really the time for that?" He glanced around the battlefield, his eyes resting on an injured Renamon, Rika attempting to comfort her. For one of the few times in her life however, Rika looked scared. "We need to get out of here!"

Kazu, being berated by his idol, gave a sheepish grin. "Oh yeah, kind of forgot." The gargantuan titan having been unable to break the bubble turned its focus towards some of the more stationary Tamers.

Breaking its former bubble, MarineAngemon spread its arms. "Kahuna Wave!" it exclaimed in a high pitched voice. Showers of small heart shaped bubbles enveloped the Digimon, shining a bright light when making contact. The numerous injuries everyone had accumulated disappeared. Cyberdramon flapped his new wing reflexively, letting out a howl of rage.

Ryo could sense his partner demanded satisfaction, and for once, he entirely agreed. Ryo gripped his Digivice, holding a card he only used for emergencies. "Digi-Modify" he exclaimed, flipping the card. "Goliath Activate!"

Cyberdramon roared, his body quadrupling in size as his power increased. Renewed, his Digimon Partner flew into battle, being the first to hit the beast head on. Following in his wake were the rest of the Champions and Renamon, attacking with a new vigor.

Their "Victim" simply roared again, striking them down a with storm of lightning bolts. Ryo had to cover his eyes as a flash of light enveloped the park. When he reopened his eyes, he wished he hadn't. The Digimon lay strewn across the blackened ground as though they were ragdolls. Ryo ran to Cyberdramon, for once scared for his Partner's life.

The Ultimate gave a low groan, still willing to fight, but unable to. Ryo could feel tears in his eyes. "You have to stop, this isn't a battle you can win." Ryo felt so useless, he knew none of his cards could help in this situation. Not even Goliath was able to take down this monster. _If only we could Bio-Merge._

Near Ryo, was Takato, attempting to carry Guilmon who had reverted back to his Rookie form. "We need to get them out of here," he whispered. "I can't lose him again. Not now."

Ryo managed to get Cyberdramon's arm over his head, his partner resisting weakly. He thrashed around, attempting to get up and keep fighting. "Cyberdramon," Ryo said sternly. "You have to trust me, you're in no shape to fight."

The purple monstrosity, seeing movement, began to roar. It rose a hoof, getting ready to kick Cyberdramon. The wounded Ultimate snarled, unwilling to back down. He pushed Ryo away, attempting to keep him safe.

Ryo couldn't believe what was happening. "Cyberdramon!" he cried running towards his Partner. However, the Ultimate had pushed him too far, he wouldn't reach him in time.

Jeri yelled, knowing what would happen, the same thing with what happened to her. "Nooo!" Ryo was about to lose his Partner.

Suddenly, a miracle occurred. Something had distracted the creature. Ryo looked behind him, seeing a figure wearing a long dark coat. A black hood concealed the face of the wearer, only their mouth being visible.

Henry seeing a person who couldn't defend themselves, began to warn them. "Hey! You can't be here! It isn't safe!" The dark figure paid him no heed, slowly walking closer to the monster.

Kazu stared at the stranger, wide eyed. "Is that dude mental?"

The mysterious figure stared up at the creature, his hands twitching. In the blink of an eye, appearing in a flash of white light, the stranger held something in hand. It looked like a weapon of some sort. Much like a sword, it had a silver blade, supported by a golden hilt. However, unlike a sword, this weapon had teeth on the end, much like a key. Flowing from the hilt was a silver chain with a mouse head emblem.

Takato could feel his jaw drop. "What is that?" It took him a couple seconds to realize Guilmon was nudging him.

"Takato" the weak dinosaur said quietly. "I can't smell him."

Takato felt puzzled. "You can't smell him? Or, I guess it could be a her."

The figure jumped inhumanly high, up on top of the creature's head. Giving the weapon a shake, the figure began to slash against the creature's horn, causing the great beast to give a roar of rage.

Infuriated, the beast shook itself, throwing the cloaked figure towards the ground. Ryo grit his teeth, their "savior" was done for! That looked like a two hundred foot drop!

The figure spread their arms calmly, as though falling from such a height was nothing. As though there were a gust of wind, the figure began to slow in descent. Taking a moment to prepare, the hooded figure put their arms above their head, before falling vertically, turning their body into a torpedo.

As they rocketed towards the creature, the figure waved their empty hand, another light forming. A beautiful white blade formed. The hilt was protected by a pair of wings, a silver chain with a pink flower on the end. At the end of the blade was a blue and purple seven pointed star with golden tips.

Making contact with the horn, the figure sliced with both weapons, cutting the horn in two.

Looking towards the sky, the massive creature let out the loudest roar it had made. As though coming from the heavens, a lightning bolt zoomed towards the ground, hitting the mysterious figure head on.

The figure, too weakened by the hit, fell to the ground, creating a crater as they impacted the surface. After being dazed for a few seconds, they shakily got to their feet, using one of their weapons as a crutch, the other mysteriously gone. The gargantuan purple mammoth disappeared in a bright light, a large red heart strangely floating in the sky.

The Tamers all got to their feet, helping their Digimon up. Together, they walked towards the hole, curious.

However, as soon as Ryo could see the mysterious person, Cyberdramon leaped into it, a growl escaping his lips. He tackled the injured cloaked stranger to the ground, the victim showing no signs of resistance.

"Cyberdramon, stop! He is not a threat! He saved us!" Ryo cried out desperately. "Is this how you show gratitude?!"

Guardromon as well hobbled up to the hole. "This stranger could be just as dangerous as the one he slew. For all we know, he could turn on us next. He can fly, we can not scent him, and can jump incredibly high. This suspicious creature is not human." he concluded. Guardromon raised his arms, aiming for the crater. "Guardian Barrage!"

A multitude of missiles flew into the hole. At the last second, Cyberdramon rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the barrage. The limp body of the stranger flew into the air, soaring high into the sky.

As the body arced and began to shoot down, his hood whipped off his head, the tattered cloak coming undone.

Finally getting a visual on the stranger, Ryo could see tufts of spiky brown hair, flapping in the wind. Underneath the cloak were strange garments colored black with many red pockets. He wore enormous yellow shoes, looking very tattered, as if he traveled around a lot.

Ryo heard a surprised gasp. He looked around before seeing Renamon, shock clear in her ice blue eyes. "It's Sora!" she cried, her face horrified after realizing what they had just done. She began to position herself, getting ready to catch the falling boy.

She was overshadowed as the great shadow of Cyberdramon flew into the sky, flying at extreme speeds in order to intercept him. Cyberdramon wrapped his arms around the limp boy's torso, before beginning to slowly descend. Cyberdramon cradled the boy gingerly in his muscular arms as he landed.

Ryo was shocked. He had never seen his Digimon act this way before. He watched stunned as Cyberdramon began to stroke the boy's face, crooning a low hum. He had never seen Cyberdramon try to be so gentle before. _This boy, he did something. Something to gain Cyberdramon's respect._

Ryo walked up to his Digimon, placing a hand on his shoulder. Cyberdramon instinctively growled, only stopping after he had seen it was him. "Cyberdramon?" Ryo asked softly. "What happened?"

As the other Tamers came to grips with what happened, they began to cautiously approach, a little fearful of Cyberdramon. It was then that Henry noticed something.

"He's hurt!" Henry pointed towards the boy's body. Thick white bandages peeked out from underneath the boy's clothing. His arm had been in what remained of a cast. Ryo glanced around, taking note that these had been old injuries. His new injuries consisted of blackened skin, courtesy of the lightning bolt.

Ryo saw Takato take Jeri away. _She didn't need to see this._ He cleared his head. "We need to get him to a hospital." Him and Henry attempted to gingerly lift the boy. However, he let out a slight groan of pain, stopping them. "We can't move him. He's too injured."

Rika grit her teeth. "We can't just leave him here! He'll die!" She crossed her arms, becoming defiant. "He saved us, we owe him our lives!"

Ryo placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to calm her down. "I never said we were going to leave him. We just can't move him like this. We need to think of a better way."

MarineAngemon floated up to the boy. Closing his eyes, he began to blow on the boy, forming a large heart shaped bubble. It enveloped the boy before rising slightly off the ground.

Henry flashed a smile at the Mega. "Good thinking MarineAngemon! Now we can take him to the hospital."

Surprisingly, Renamon stepped into the path of the bubble. "No." she said firmly. "We can't take him in, not like this. He doesn't have enough time. At this very moment, I can feel his life essence draining."

Kazu came into the conversation, staring at the gigantic bubble. "Why can't MarineAngemon just heal him here?"

Ryo stepped up, already knowing the terrible answer. "MarineAngemon's Kahuna Wave can only heal data. When we Bio-Merge, he can heal us because we are made of data. However, he can't heal living creatures of flesh and blood."

Kenta gave out a grim sigh. "Then what are we supposed to do?" he asked. Nobody had an answer.

Ryo suddenly had an idea. "We'll take him to my place. I live just around the corner from here, and I know I have a First Aid kit somewhere. My dad won't be too happy, but he can't argue, given our current situation."

Rika looked from Ryo to the boy in the bubble. "Well then, what are we waiting for, an invitation? Let's go!"

Ryo took the lead as he began to run towards his house. A life was depending on him, he needed to hurry. As he turned a corner, he could see Cyberdramon staying close to the bubble. Renamon as well stayed near the injured boy. Something about this boy was special, Ryo could feel it. He managed to get Cyberdramon to care about someone other than himself or his Tamer.

As Ryo ran, it occurred to him that this was possibly the person who had rescued their Digimon in the Digital World. it definitely made sense. Everyone had thought it was a Digimon, but no one had stopped to think it might be a human.

Closing in on his home, Ryo put a hand in his pocket and procured his house key. Stepping up to his door, he put the key into the keyhole and turned it, releasing the tumblers and unlocking the door. He opened the door as wide as it would go, ushering in the Digimon and Tamers.

He knew his dad would throw a fit if something broke or got dirty, but at this point, he didn't need to be cautious, he needed to be fast. "Put him on the couch," he ordered, pointing towards an overstuffed green couch. Ryo left them to do this as he went into the kitchen, looking through cupboards and cabinets. Hidden under some folded dish towels, Ryo found what he was looking for. _For once dad, I'm glad you made me be so organized._

Entering the room, he saw the Tamers and their Digimon crowding the couch, anxiously waiting. "Henry, Kenta, I want you two to stay here with me. If everyone else could go to the backyard," he asked, pointing behind him. "That would be helpful."

Rika looked as if she wanted to argue, however her partner gave her a look, causing her to nod and follow everyone else outside. Before leaving entirely, she stopped. "He'll be okay, right?"

Ryo attempted to give her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. "Don't worry Wildcat. I'll keep an eye on him. I know how much he means to Renamon and Cyberdramon."

Rika gave a small smile. "You'd better." With that, she left the room, going into the backyard with the Digimon.

Turning around, he was faced with the worried glances of Henry and Kenta. Ryo set the first aid kit on the table in front of the couch, opening it. He dug around before grabbing a tube of disinfectant. Distributing it among his wounds, Ryo could hear the boy moan audibly, as the disinfectant burned the bacteria away.

"Um, guys?" Kenta asked, grabbing Ryo's attention for a moment. Henry continued to wrap bandages around the boy's arm, concentrating hard.

"Yeah Kenta?" Ryo asked, attempting to get his mind off of what had happened.

Kenta grabbed something from the boy's pants, clutching it in his fist. "Look" he said, opening his hand.

Ryo, looked at the object, let out a surprised gasp. "Is that-"

Henry cut him off. "Guys, whatever that is, it can wait. _He_ can't" he said seriously, gesturing towards the boy. Getting back to work, Henry made no eye contact as he continued to apply coats of medicine after his layer of bandages. One intense hour later, the trio of "doctors" decided he was stable enough to go to the hospital.

Ryo grabbed the old bandages and the remains of the cast the boy had worn previously, throwing them in a nearby trashcan. "I think he's a bit more stable. But we still need to get him to a hospital."

Kenta glanced worriedly at the boy. "We're gonna need to take him soon. He has a pretty high fever. We can't do anything about _these_." he said, gesturing to the burns that covered the boy's body.

Henry was already on the job, talking to an emergency operator using his cellphone. "Yeah, we found him on the street like this. No, we don't know his name. We're on the corner of GreenWood Street. Thank you." With that, Henry hung up, returning to them. "An ambulance should be here in about ten minutes. We need to get him outside."

Kenta stood up, looking determined. "I'll go get MarineAngemon. We can use his bubble to get him outside. I'll also spread the word."

Ryo gave a small smile. "That would be best. We don't want everyone tearing the house down." Kenta left, leaving Henry and Ryo alone with their comatose patient. "That thing…. the one that did this to him, what was it?" Ryo wondered aloud, not expecting to get an answer.

Henry shook his head, " I don't know. Honestly, I don't think we _want_ to know. We weren't even scratching that thing. It looked like it was toying with us." He gave a tired sigh. "We would never have gotten out of there without this guy's help, but I still can't help but think that his timing was a little _too_ perfect. What if he was on the same side as that thing? What would we do then?"

Ryo put a hand on the back of his head. "Henry, I think you're reading a little too much into this. We owe this guy for saving us. I seriously doubt he's an evil mastermind. Now come on, I hear MarineAngemon coming. We need to get him to the hospital."

The Tamers followed MarineAngemon into the street, placing the boy on the sidewalk. Within a few minutes, just as the paramedics said, the ambulance was there. Ryo couldn't help but feel relieved as the injured boy was lifted onto a gurney. _Good. He can get some professional help._ There was only room for one more person in the ambulance, so Rika was elected to stay by his side and see if he would wake up.

Henry decided that he would go to the Matsuki bakery and tell the rest of the Tamers the news. He knew Jeri would be with Takato, comforting her, and his sister Suzie had said she would be there with the twins. The Junior Tamers tended to help each other with homework, making the bakery the perfect spot to study.

Ryo said goodbye to his friends as he headed back to his house. He needed to pick everything up before his dad got home. Picking up the first aid kit, he neatly put it back under the folded dish towels, attempting to make everything look spotless. It wasn't until he turned around when he saw his dad leaning against the kitchen doorway. An angry look on his face.

"Oh. Hey dad." Ryo greeted nervously. His dad continued to glare at him, not making a sound. "So. How was your day?" Ryo said quickly, attempting to change the subject.

His dad still said nothing. He simply held up a small trashcan. Ryo looked inside and saw the used bandages and destroyed cast he had taken off the boy. He had forgotten to take the garbage out! "Please tell me you're not hurt." His father said heatedly.

Ryo shook his head, attempting to calm his dad down. "You don't understand. We didn't go looking for trouble. It attacked _us_! We had to defend ourselves."

"The only thing I understand is that you said you were done with this stuff. I let you keep your little pet, if you promised to stop fighting. How long have you been lying to me?!"

Ryo held up his hands. "This was only the first battle. And like I said, it came to us, not the other way around." Ryo knew there were few things he could do to calm down his father. his father would rage on and on about how irresponsible he was being. Ryo couldn't blame him. He had walked out on his dad, no note, not goodbye, he had just left. After he returned from the Digital World, he had a long talk with his father, telling him how sorry he was and that he missed him. Ryo figured the long lectures were just part of the time he had missed with his dad, and saw them as a necessary thing to catch up.

His father gave a long sigh, rolling his fingers against his temples. "If you're not hurt, then who was? Where are they now?"

Ryo mirrored his father's sigh, once again feeling guilty. Cyberdramon should not have attacked the boy. "We don't know who he is, or where he's from, but it was a boy. He was the one who rescued us actually. We would never had escaped without him. We patched him up as best we could and sent him to the hospital. My friend should be with him now, keeping him company."

His father raised his eyebrows. "The Mighty Legendary Tamer needing help?" he remarked dryly. Ryo's dad sat down in a stool, getting comfortable. Ryo could tell he was about to begin a lecture. "Tomorrow, after school, we are going to the hospital. You will thank the boy for saving your life, and make sure he will be okay. That boy's parents will be worried sick, you are going to explain to them what happened. And as final punishment, you are going to pay for the materials you used in the first aid kit."

Ryo nodded, a little glad he didn't have to explain everything. He didn't know if he could. Getting up, he attempted to slink upstairs towards his room. However, his father's voice stopped him. "Ryo?"

"Yeah dad?"

"You most likely saved that boy's life. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks dad." With that, Ryo went upstairs, closing his bedroom door behind him. Cyberdramon was waiting patiently against the wall, looking up at the moon through his window. "Everything okay Cyberdramon?"

The Ultimate gave an uncertain shrug, something Ryo had never seen him do. "I am…." he paused searching for the right word to use. "Worried."

"About the boy?" Cyberdramon gave a slight nod, almost too fast for Ryo to catch. "Don't worry. He's getting the best help he can get. All we have to do now is wait." A thought occurred to Ryo, making a smile appear on his face. "You know Cyberdramon, you really are a puppy on the inside."

His Digimon gave a low growl. Still leaning against the wall, Cyberdramon continued to watch the moon, turning his back to Ryo.

"Goodnight Cyberdramon," Ryo rolled in his bed, staring at his door, a thought nagging him. There was something that didn't make sense. _What I want to know, is why did that boy have Takato's red Digivice?_


	4. No Rest for the Weary

Despite being reassured by numerous doctors, Rika couldn't help but feel troubled. This boy, he was in bad shape. He had broken both his left leg and his right arm. His left wrist was fractured, and he had a concussion. However, that wasn't what worried the doctors. The boy had managed to break six of his ribs, and had internal bleeding. Courtesy of the last lightning bolt, the boy was covered in second and third degree burns.

What remained of the boy was swathed in head to toe of white bandages, making him look like a mummy.

Renamon hadn't left his side. She leaned against a wall, looking deep in thought. Rika knew her partner too well, and could tell she was blaming herself. Rika sat down in a chair overlooking the room. "Renamon?"

The Rookie gave a jolt, calming down as she recognized who spoke. "Oh. Rika."

Rika could hear the grief in her voice. _This boy, he must mean a lot to her._ The Tamer put a hesitant hand on her partner's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Renamon shook her head slowly. "I- I can't." She looked over the boy forlornly. "It's too painful."

Rika could feel her temper rising. _I've had it up to here!_ "Get a grip!" She stood up, her hands balled into fists. Her partner became rigid with shock.

"Rika!"

"I've tried getting close to you, I've tried giving you space, but nothing helps. You've been moping for too long! You can't fall apart at the slightest bit of news! Where is the Renamon I became partners with? She clearly isn't in the room with me right now!" An unnatural silence filled the room. Renamon's face was a battleground, many conflicting emotions fighting for dominance.

Her partner looked at her with a defeated face. "You are right. I have not been myself lately." She gave out a long sigh. "The Digital World, its-" She paused for a moment. Rika could barely hear her next words. "It's gone."

Rika could feel her anger melting. "The Digital World is gone!?" Rika collapsed back into the chair. _This can't be happening. All those Digimon, our friends, just… gone._

"Perhaps…. Perhaps it is time I told you of what occurred." Renamon gazed at Rika sadly. She leaned against the wall, her tail swishing anxiously. "This boy, Sora, he saved us. There's no one like him, I'm sure of it. He saved each of us, reunited us Digimon together, helped us as we attempted to return to this world, he did all this without a second thought. Sora was just as miserable as us, if not more, and yet he did all this, smiling all the way." Rika could hear the fondness in Renamon's voice as she spoke of her adventures. "We owe him a debt, one we can never repay. If he dies… because of us, I could never forgive myself."

 _H_ e _saved them? Although, then again, he did save_ _ **us**_ _from that purple puffball._ "What happened? To the Digital World I mean? What destroyed it?" Her thoughts turned to an answer, one she hoped wasn't true. "It's not… the D-Reaper is it?"

Renamon shook her head. "No. This enemy, they are much stronger, and much more dangerous." The Rookie Digimon crossed her arms, looking at the ground, attempting to avoid Rika's worried gaze. "I was unable to see this enemy, the Megas forbid it."

"The Megas? As in Mega Digimon?"

"Yes. After the battle with the D-Reaper, almost every Digimon reverted to an egg, having expended all their energy. The few Megas that remained helped the Sovereign create order, attempting to rebuild the Digital World."

Rika was curious. _They helped each other? Digimon don't help each other. They're in it for themselves, survival of the fittest._ However, before she had a chance to ask how, Rika was interrupted by a loud ringing.

A passing nurse stopped in the frame of the door and gave Rika a dirty glare. "Shhh!" she motioned fiercely. With that, she stomped away, tending to various patients.

Rika rolled her eyes before grabbing her cellphone. "Hello?" Her ear was blasted by a loud worried voice, causing Rika to cringe.

"Rika! This is your mother! Where are you! You were supposed to be home two hours ago. Don't tell me you're still playing in the park at this time of night!"

Rika glanced at her watch. _9:08. Whoops._ "No mom, I'm not in the park. I'm in the hospital. My-

She was interrupted by a deep intake of breath on the other end. "Rika! What happened! I'm coming right over. Ohhh, I knew I should never have let you fight these Digimon again." Rika was able to hear her mom rush frantically around the house.

"Mom! Just stop, I'm fine. I'm not hurt. It was… a friend. In fact, it was him who saved me, us. He saved me as well as the rest of my friends. I'm not leaving him, I can't. I owe him my life!" It took Rika a moment to realize she had blabbed out everything in a panic. "I have to stay with him. I just have to." she continued softly.

The other side of the phone was silent. Almost hesitantly, a soothing voice spoke. "Okay honey. I can't even begin to imagine what you just went through. You can stay as long as you feel. You can even skip school for a few days, if you really want to. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here, as well as your grandma."

"Thanks mom." Rika said quietly. "For understanding."

"I'm going to leave now. There'll be food in the kitchen if you get hungry."

Rika nodded. However, she realized her mother couldn't see this. "Okay" she replied numbly.

"Goodbye honey. I'm sorry for your friend." With that, Rika's mother hung up, leaving the room quiet.

Rika lifted her head. Renamon had moved towards the bed, her gauntleted paw over that of the boy's. Renamon looked deep in thought, whether good or bad, Rika couldn't tell.

"Renamon?" Her Digimon turned to her. "What's on your mind?"

Renamon gave a sigh, something she did a lot lately. "You have grown up much these past two years. I only wish I could have been here to experience it with you."

The Tamer attempted to give her partner a comforting smile. "Yeah, you missed two years of my life. But that doesn't mean you have to miss anymore. We have our whole lives ahead of us."

Renamon gave her a grateful look. "Thank you Rika. That means a lot to me." The Rookie attempted to give her a smile, only to have her tail fall sadly onto the bed. "I only wish we would know if _he_ would have his full life ahead of him. Sora should not have been dragged into this."

 _There's no way I can get her mind off of this Sora now. Perhaps I shouldn't fight her. Maybe I should do the opposite._ "You mind telling me about him? What's he like?"

Renamon allowed a small but noticeable smile to find its way on her face, the first genuine smile Rika had seen since she had returned. "For one thing, he was always smiling. It somehow became contagious, spreading to all of us. Even Impmon, of all Digimon."

Rika felt her eyes widen. "Really? How is that even possible?!" _This boy must've been a miracle worker._

Renamon gave a smirk. "Sora did many impressive feats, but getting Impmon to smile, that was by far his greatest achievement." The Digimon gave a sigh, sounding much more content than she had moments earlier.

Rika let out a startled gasp. "Oh! That reminds me. How did he beat that purple fuzzball? It nearly kills all of us, while we were in our Champion and Ultimate forms. But this one kid manages to beat it by himself in only a few hits. Who is he?"

Her Partner gave a shrug. "I don't know, he never said anything. He kept his past to himself. I had not seen that weapon of his in the Digital World. Perhaps his friends know." she contemplated.

It took Rika a moment before she figured out Renamon was referring to the two Digimon they had been caring for, the mysterious Swanmon and Doggymon. "Is he a Tamer?"

"Yes" Her partner voiced distantly. "However, there was something that puzzled me. I only caught one glimpse of his Digivice, but I'm certain of it. The Digivice he carries is the one that once belonged to Takato"

"How?" As far as Rika knew, once a Digivice belonged to a Tamer, it was forever. Even now, Jeri still carried around her broken Digivice, a memento to Leomon. How Sora had gotten it, Rika didn't have the foggiest of ideas.

A quiet _rap rap_ echoed through the room. Rika looked in the doorway to see another nurse, clutching a clipboard with various papers. She gave a wide smile before stepping into the room. "I'm sorry miss, but I need you to leave the room. I need to give your boyfriend a check up and change his bandages."

Rika could feel her face turning tomato red. "He's not my boyfriend" she growled. Rika could feel Renamon tense as her partner sensed her impending anger.

The nurse gave a cheeky wink. "No need to be bashful, sugar. Your boyfriend's in the best of care. Nothing bad will happen to him, not on our watch." She turned her back to her as she began to unbutton the boy's hospital gown. As the nurse began to unravel the bloody bandages, Rika could see the scars and bruises that had been hidden.

It wasn't until she had seen the marks that covered Sora's body when his condition hit her. She knew he had banged up, she had even been told by the doctors the extent of his injuries, but now that she had seen them, experienced them, it made her feel something she didn't want to feel. Fear. It ran through her veins, bringing a numbness that spread throughout her body. She could feel her anger fading, replaced by horror and shock.

Rika could feel herself being dragged out of the room by Renamon. Her partner had grasped her hand and shoulder, guiding her like a small child. They passed by many other patients' rooms as they proceeded down the long brightly lit hallway. Rika could feel the various bodies of the doctors as they passed her, but paid no heed to them, too distraught to really take notice.

Being sat down by Renamon, Rika realized she had been taken to cafe. The smell of coffee and baked goods filled the air, surprising for such a late time at night. Rika let out a small yawn before looking at the table, determined to not be weak in front of her Partner.

Besides the occasional noise of clinking china from the other customers, all was quiet. Rika attempted to recollect her thoughts, but was having little luck, all that remained was a single thought.

Many moments passed before a single name was uttered. It pierced the silence, like a hot knife slicing through butter. "Rika?" Her partner asked slowly, gently, carefully.

Rika looked up, not bothering to hide her emotions. What surprised her was the sympathy in Renamon's eyes. It tempted her to allow herself to break down, right then and there, in the middle of a quaint cafe at who knows what time of night it was.

Suddenly, almost unwillingly, she said it. "I could have died." Rika said simply. "We were in the middle of a battle, fighting to defeat that, that _thing,_ and then…" She paused, looking for the words needed to express what she was feeling. "It was toying with us. It could have taken us all out in one big hit, but it didn't do it. It preferred to watch us suffer, struggle to survive as we fought in a battle we couldn't win."

Renamon neither moving nor breathing, simply raised an eyebrow, a sign for Rika to continue. Rika looked at the table once more, a bitter taste on her tongue. She opened her mouth, getting ready to admit something she would never tell anyone else, not even her grandmother. "It scared me. A boy I don't even know risked his own life to save ours, and I don't even know the first thing about him, or where he comes from. As Tamers, it's our job to protect the people, not the other way around." She clenched her hands. "It just isn't fair!" she sputtered angrily.

The Rookie Digimon enveloped her Tamer in an embrace. "Oh Rika." she muttered softly. They sat in the cafe for what felt like hours, attempting to comfort each other. Rika had bought herself a blueberry muffin, devouring it in large ravenous bites. She realized it had been the first thing she had eaten all day, what with the stress of the afternoon and a skipped breakfast.

She watched Renamon calmly sip a mug of tea, an emotion she hadn't felt in a while brewing inside of her. Rika felt like she wanted to say something, but not with the other customers around. "Thanks," she said simply. The Digimon nodded knowingly. There was another bout of awkward silence before a question popped into Rika's mind. "Can I ask you something?"

The Rookie nodded, tipping her head as a gesture for Rika to go on.

"What happened to the Digimon you were caring for? What caused it to rapidly digivolve and lose control like that?"

Renamon put a claw under her chin thoughtfully. "I do not truly know myself. I was at the park waiting for you to finish school. The Digimon had been asleep. Suddenly, it had absorbed data from somewhere. It transformed into the Digimon you saw. Then you appeared, digivolved me, and helped me hold it off until the others had arrived." She folded her paws on the table. "That is all I know."

Finishing their small meal, Rika cleaned the table they were sitting at, throwing away the muffin wrapper and returning Renamon's mug. "I think I'm ready to go see him again," Rika stated, attempting to sound more confident than she felt. Together, the duo walked down the white corridors, going up an elevator to see the secretary of the visitor's office.

The elderly man flashed them an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry young miss." he wheezed. "But your boyfriend just went into surgery. The doctors are attempting to repair some severe internal damage. Normally, I'd allow you to wait here in the lobby, but the visiting hours are over for today."

Rika suppressed a groan. _This old geezer must be in line with that nurse._ She would have loved to give him a piece of her mind, but the way his eyes twinkled, she couldn't find it in her heart to do it. Rika simply nodded. "Thank you. I'll be here later tomorrow then." With that, she followed Renamon towards the elevator, waiting for the doors to open.

Thinking they were out of earshot, the elderly man began to talk to himself. "That sonny's a lucky man, having a lass like that. I just hope his condition improves so she has someone to return to." he said darkly. He began to whistle a merry little tune, something Rika didn't recognize.

Hearing the elevator make its trademark ding, they walked into the elevator, taking it down to the lobby. From there they exited through the rotating hospital doors, out into the crisp August night air. Since Rika had ridden the ambulance to the hospital, she would have to walk home. Lucky for her, the hospital was pretty close to her house. She often had to go there with her grandmother, so she knew the way home by heart. Tying her shoelaces, Rika put her hands in her jean pockets, beginning the stroll home. She checked her watch, it was only 2 am, she wouldn't be it _that_ much trouble. Right?

* * *

Takato rolled in his bed. He closed his eyes and tried for a few minutes to fall asleep before inevitably sitting up, the effort futile. The events of the day replayed in his mind, over and over, making him restless. Normally, when a Digimon entered through his world, he and his friends would defeat it, send it back to its own world, and finish the day, laughing or smiling. Today had been drastically different. It just proved how real and cruel these missions could be sometimes. He knew if his mom found out what had occurred that day, she would never let him leave his room ever again.

His parents had certainly been suspicious when he had brought a sobbing Jeri and an injured Guilmon home with him. Seeing that he wasn't in the mood to talk, his father had been brave enough to pull his inquisitive wife into the back room. Takato knew he certainly owed his dad a huge favor, as there were few things that could stop a nagging mother. The only other things that came to mind was huge sale on shoes, or cute puppy pictures.

Takato had taken Jeri up to his room, a plate of cream puffs in his hand. Not having the strength to talk to her, he left her and Guilmon in his room with the cream puffs and slowly walked down the stairs. Wanting to keep himself busy, he had cleaned the tables, polishing the wood and discarding various wrappers. Two hours later, Jeri had come out, still looking shaken, but much better. She had thanked him, putting the empty plate on the counter. She then did something that made Takato feel fuzzy inside, Jeri had hugged him. He remembered holding onto her as she buried her head into his shoulder.

Takato walked up to the window, glancing at the clock as he crossed the room. 11:04 pm. The stars twinkled brightly as he gazed at them, deep in thought. _What kind of Digimon were they?_ He had been unable to scan both of them, something that troubled him. The second one had been far stronger, nearly destroying him, and everyone he cared about. Were these Digimon really that strong? Or had he gotten weaker? He and Guilmon had been separated for a total of two years. Takato had created the Digimon, had the extended time in the Digital World erase all of Guilmon's strengths, had they been reset?

 _Ugh_. All these questions were beginning to hurt his brain. He couldn't think clearly, not at 11pm. The sound of his door creaking open caused Takato to jump, slamming his head against the frame of his bed. Guilmon, feeling the impact turned, facing the wall. Rubbing the back of his head, Takato looked in the doorway, surprised to see Doggymon."Oh! Doggymon. What are you doing up at this time of night?" Takato asked, curious.

The mute Digimon pointed to Takato, making a thumbs up and a thumbs down. "How am I?" Takato translated. The dog nodded. Takato shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's been a long day, what with a seven page essay for homework, and getting thrashed by two of the strongest Digimon I've ever seen." Takato heaved a sigh, something his mother did quite often. "I just wish things could go back to normal."

Something clicked in Takato's mind. _Oh the irony._ After he had been separated from Guilmon, he wanted nothing to do with a normal life. Now that he had his little buddy back, it was all he dreamed about. _I guess the saying it true. You always want what you can never have._ "Do you wish you could go back to the Digital World? Back to your home?"

Doggymon put a paw on his face, contemplating the thought. After consideration, the Digimon gave a small nod, followed by shake of its head. Takato scrunched up his face, confused. "You do, but, you don't?" The Digimon nodded. Takato clearly didn't know the whole story, but he didn't want to bother the hardworking Digimon. It was a shame he couldn't write.

Takato put a hand on top of Doggymon's head. "Thanks for letting me talk to you. I needed someone to vent with, and you are a good listener. Tomorrow should be a lot easier, now that I don't have to deal with giant purple mammoths." Takato joked, giving a small laugh.

Doggymon stared at Takato intently, his eyes looking serious for the first time since he had entered the house. Before Takato had a chance to ask what was wrong, Doggymon pointed to him and mimicked a hand gesture that told him that he should be sleeping.

Takato gave a small yawn, now that the Digimon mentioned it, he _was_ feeling tired. Takato crawled into his bed, pulling the covers over his shoulders. "Goodnight Doggymon," he muttered drowsily. With that, he closed his eyes, letting out the occasional soft snore.

Had Takato stayed awake, he would have realized that something was _indeed_ wrong. Something that would cause quite a panic in the morning, as a small army of customers infiltrated the bakery, and the dishes lay in a pile by the kitchen sink, or the fact that the garbage began to accumulate in the corner of the shop. Doggymon had left the building.

* * *

 _Poor boy_ thought the nurse that tended his bedside. She clutched her clipboard tightly as she read the diagnosis the surgeon had left her. He was stable for now, but he was still had a lot of internal bruising, there wasn't much they could have done with that. His broken ribs had been tightly bound in thick bandages, as well as his broken hand, leg, and fractured wrist. The burns that coated in skin had been disinfected in an herbal bath and smothered in ointment and even more bandages. The swelling of his concussion had died down which brought some relief, but was still being monitored.

The sudden opening of a door caused the nurse to jump. Picking up her fallen clipboard, she looked to see what had startled her. "Oh, doctor," she said, relieved. However, he wasn't alone, behind him was a woman.

The doctor flashed her a smile. "Kathy," he greeted. With that, he moved towards the boy, motioning for the woman to come closer. "Now ma'am, I know, I'm asking a lot from you, but considering we don't know where his parents are, and you _are_ the one that found him, you're the closest thing to family he has."

The woman flashed a sympathetic look. "He's all alone?" She came to the bedside, stroking the patient's hand.

The doctor nodded. "Yes. What I'm asking for is for you to take him home and look after him for a couple of days. I know this is on short notice, but he has nowhere else to go."

Kathy was confused. "But doctor, he's just been through surgery and has all these injuries. The _last_ thing we want to do is move him."

The doctor flashed a genuine smile. "Someone's been keeping up with their studies!" he cleared his throat. "Ordinarily yes, we wouldn't even think of letting him leave the hospital. But in his current state, he's stable. He needs to be somewhere quiet to heal properly, and he can't get that here with us running around willy nilly."

The woman gave a brief smile. "I guess it's a good thing I live so close to the hospital. How long would I care for him?"

The doctor shrugged. "We're unsure. But considering you live so close to the hospital, a doctor will come out each day to check up on him. And if an emergency occurs, you'll be able to call for help easily. This makes you the perfect candidate."

The woman smiled until an unpleasant thought occurred. "Would I have to miss work?"

Kathy nodded. "Most definitely. He may be stable, but he will need constant supervision for at least the first few days. Afterwards, he should be able to care for himself." Kathy attempted to give an encouraging smile. "He should be as good as new eventually!"

The woman gave a small frown. "I suppose, although, the children will be so disappointed." A smile finally found its way to her face. "I can do this. I could use a few days to myself. Yeah, it could be a mini vacation."

The doctor smiled. "That's the way to think, ma'am."

The woman wore an expression of mock horror. "Oh no, please don't call me ma'am. It makes me sound far older than I am!"

Kathy scratched the back of her head. "We will give you some pain killers for the boy, they'll keep him nice and numb for a few days, just until most of the intensive wounds are healed, Miss- um, what do I call you?"

The woman clutched her purse as she walked towards the doctor and Kathy to shake their hands. Her heels clicked loudly against the tile floor as she moved, almost in a certain rhythm. "You may call me Miss Asagi."


	5. Central Strike

**Greetings my faithful readers. This update marks my 5th chapter! I never would have thought I would get this far into a story I created! Anyway, I have posted some title art for the story, I know it is not the greatest, but it is better than nothing. If somebody would like to make something, I would really appreciate it! Read, relax and enjoy!**

* * *

Soft sunlight entered through a partially concealed window, enlightening a cluttered bedroom. Various articles of dirty laundry buried the floor, along with candy wrappers and videogame consoles. Despite the clutter, there was a clean white, wooden, desk. Perched upon it was a shoe box, squarely in the middle. Two symmetrical candles flanked it, nothing but stubs from being lighted so often. Behind the desk, on the wall was a signed poster of Ryo Akiyama.

The bedroom began to vibrate, being caused by what one would call, a small earthquake. A large mechanical fist attempted to knock on the door, only succeeding to send it crashing down. "Oh dear." The Champion Digimon sidestepped past the fallen door, making its way deeper into the messy domain. "Kazu!" it called cheerfully. "It is time for school."

A disheveled shape rose from the bed. Kazu gave a groan, putting the pillow over his head. "Go away Guardromon. I was having the best of dreams. Me and Ryo were about to save the world from the evil Chocolate Donut men!" he whined. "And Kenta wasn't finished shining our shoooes."

Guardromon stroked his nonexistent chin with his mechanical fingers. "But, you told me to wake you if I saw children entering the building." His Tamer rubbed his eyes, giving him a nasty glare. "I dare say it, you are craaazier than catfish." Guardromon declared.

Kazu opened his eyes wide, whipping the blanket off as he sat up. "You stole that from me and you know it!" he accused. He got out of bed, walking to the drawers where he kept his clothes. Opening them, he wasn't surprised to see them empty. "Looks like mom forgot to do my laundry again." he gave a sigh, slightly annoyed. "When will she learn?" He dug around his floor, looking around for some shirt and pants that weren't too dirty.

"Perhaps you could do your own laundry?" Guardromon suggested. He was met with a pair of jelly stained pants thrown into his face, followed by a pair of sneakers.

"I couldn't do that! My laundry is what keeps her busy. It's the highlight of her day. I dunno, it's a mom thing." Kazu said, explaining the "situation" poorly. The confused Digimon simply shrugged.

Kazu kneeled in front of his desk, opening the shoe box to reveal a gold tinted Digimon. Guardromon squinted at it. "What is that? A modify card?" he asked curiously.

His Tamer gasped, taken aback. "' 'Is this a modify card?' Pfft please. This is my limited edition gold tinted Patamon card! Only 3,000 of these babies were made. This is the pride and joy of yours truly." Reaching into the desk's inner compartments, he pulled out a lighter. "If mom found out about this, I would be toast!" He lit the candles, replacing the lighter in it's original spot. "Oh great and powerful Legendary Tamer Ryo!" he chanted. "Hear my plea as I beg of you. Lend me your awesome power so I might one day become the best Tamer in the world! Ryo Akiyama. Ryo Akiyama. Ryo Akiyama." He stroked the card, protected by a layer of plastic.

"This is what you do with your mornings?" Guardromon grabbed the card from the shoebox, looking it over. "It doesn't appear to be very powerful," he observed.

Kazu lunged at his Digimon, swiping the card from it's hands. "You can't just touch it like that!" he examined it. "You smudged it! He wiped it furiously with a tissue, replaced it back into the box and extinguished the candles. "If something happened to it, I don't know what I would do."

Followed by Guardromon, Kazu grabbed his book bag and exited the house. "I shall see you later!" the Digimon yelled, waving goodbye from the lawn. Giving a sigh, he took about twenty steps before finding himself at the gates of the high school he was attending. He gave another depressed sigh, things just weren't the same.

After Guardromon had returned to the Digital World, his parents had opted to move, determined to move to the United States. Hypnos had stepped in, convincing them that they needed Kazu and the other Tamers to remain here, as it was the most active Digital Field on the planet. His parents had reluctantly agreed, but only if they got a new house that was right next to the school he would be going to. Yamaki may be questionable, but Kazu had been glad he had managed to convince his parents to stay.

The hallways were spotless, not a student in sight. Kazu glanced at his watch. 9:42am. _Not bad, I'm an hour earlier than usual._ He walked in the direction of his classroom, stopping along the way to use the water fountain and bathroom. Kazu opened the door, not surprised to see the blank stares of his peers.

The teacher was another story. It was no secret that he absolutely hated him. Kazu felt a little nervous when he saw the teacher casting a wicked grin in his direction as he closed the door behind him. "Having a good morning sir? Haha." Kazu chuckled nervously.

"The best I've had in weeks. Here." he said, handing Kazu a green slip of paper.

Kazu opened it, closing one eye as he read the horror that awaited him. "I'm… I'm…" he was flabbergasted. "I'm being reassigned!" Kazu gave an air pump. "YES!" He saluted two fingers to his forehead. "Later losers!" he exclaimed gleefully, fleeing the classroom before his teacher could mock him. Looking at the paper, Kazu could see was supposed to go to room 2B.

He found the golden room, opening the door. To his utter most surprise, Takato, Jeri, Henry, and Kenta were found, way in the back of the class. Kenta raised his fists into the air."Nooooo!" he cried. "This was supposed to be the year!"

The other Tamers were a bit more welcoming, Jeri give a small wave. Takato and Henry gave small smiles. "I guess this won't be a quiet year." Henry stated. Takato nodded, clearly agreeing.

 _Dawww, they did miss me. Kenta especially._ The teacher, a balding old man with a stubby goatee, put down his book.

"You must be the new student. I am Mr. Manse. You may sit wherever you want and do whatever you want. I don't have any plans for the next few days. As long as you're not noisy, we are good." With that, he returned to his book.

"Have I died and gone to heaven?" he asked, in awe of his new class. Kazu walked towards his friends, grabbing a chair as he sat down in their circle of desks. "Hey guys." he greeted.

"It's nice to see you again." Jeri said sweetly. Kazu tipped his hat to her.

"So what have I been missing? You guys have an awesome teacher! He is so much better than Mr. Hanada."

Takato shook his head. "This is a substitute. Our real teacher is Mrs. Asagi."

Kazu felt horrified, He gazed at the ceiling, unable to keep his emotions in. "Nooooo!" The substitute raised an eyebrow. Kazu flashed him a smile. "Won't happen again…" He turned, facing his friends. "I thought she still taught middle school?"

Henry gave a questioning gaze. "She honestly doesn't seem that bad of a teacher. Why do you guys not like her?"

Kazu put his arm dramatically to his forehead. "It's too awful to explain!"

Henry shook his head playfully. "I just don't get it." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, a more serious expression surfacing. "I need to ask you guys something."

"What's up?" Kenta asked.

"Has anyone heard from Rika? I was hoping she could tell us about our "friend." She hasn't called anyone?"

Everyone shook their head. Jeri cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention. "I hope he's okay. He saved us."

Kazu scoffed. _Really. They're worried about him!_ "I don't trust him. He stole my spotlight! I had everything under control."

Kenta rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because a giant purple mammoth Digimon wasn't going to stomp you into next week." He pushed his glasses up. "I think we need to talk to him. I want to know how he was able to defeat that thing."

Henry and Takato shared a glance. "I can't believe I'm saying this," Henry started. "But I'm agreeing with Kazu. His timing was just too perfect. Not only that, but he barely broke a sweat, defeating it."

Jeri stood up, angry. "You're right, he didn't break a sweat. He broke just about everything else! You should be grateful! Glad that someone was able to save us, to save Cyberdramon!" Tears entered her eyes. "If it wasn't for him, none of us would be here!" Kazu could barely hear the next part. "Just like Leomon." She walked away, exchanged a word with the substitute, and left the classroom.

Nobody said a word, save for the other children of the class. _What's so great about this kid? We don't even know who he is, and already its the only thing everyone wants to talk about? Whatever happened to the good days where I was saving Ryo from D-Reaper drones?_

* * *

 _Sora grimaced, the plan had felt a lot better in his head. He groaned as he sliced another Shadow Heartless in half. The horde was upon him. His already battered body was covered in cuts he could not believe. Azulongmon, having alerted his fellows, brought them as reinforcements. The Sovereign were majestically doing their best to aid him._

 _Man, being in battle with no magic sucks! No cure spell to heal himself with, no destruction magic to fry or freeze the enemy with, and fate just loved to mess with his head._

 _Donald and Goofy had attempted to help him at first, but Sora didn't want them to deplete their energy, so he sent them back to the temple. Without their weapons and limited magic, his friends wouldn't have been able to help much. Sora jumped into the air as Ebonwumon unleashed a mighty earthquake, slaying a large wave of Large Bodys. A squadron of wyverns were struck down by a large thunderbolt from Azulongmon._

 _A Behemoth rose on its hind legs and trampled the ground. Sora, not reacting in time had a two ton hoof on his back. Zhuqiamon tackled the Behemoth and disappeared in the war zone. Sora's chest felt as though it were on fire. His left hand fell to his side, utterly useless, probably broken. His head throbbed at the world, a dizzy mess. He focused his gaze on his working hand, his vision slightly improving._

 _Sora could tell the Sovereign were low on energy. Zhuqiamon didn't even bother to complain about how weak he was. Working the wheels in his brain as he slew many Heartless, Sora finally figured out a plan. "Baihumon!"_

 _The snow white tiger bounded towards Sora, stomping on Heartless in the process. He unleashed a powerful roar that made a large group of Heartless dissipate. "What is the meaning of this? There is a battle to be fought, we must defend the village!"_

 _"I've just come up with a plan. Vixiemon once told me, that a Tamer and their Digimon formed an unbreakable connection. Once the connection is acquired the Digimon will get stronger through that bond. Considering there are 9 Tamer Digimon, that'll mean we'll have 9 powerful Digimon on our side. I want you and the other Sovereign to send them back to their Tamers."_

 _Baihumon roared, his eyes blazing. "Just because the Tamers saved the Digital World once does not mean they have to save it every time there is a problem. We are the Sovereign! We are the most powerful Digimon in the Digital World, we are not helpless Fresh Digimon. Anyway, Calumon cannot Digivolve, so there would only be 8. Eight Megas could not save the Digital World. Besides, a teleportation spell requires a lot of energy, not the amount the Sovereign have right now. We have no way to gather enough energy and protect the Digital World from the Heartless at the same time. Unless…" His gaze grew thoughtful._

 _"Do you see these orbs that surround my body? These are DigiCores. Every Digimon has one DigiCore which is basically their "soul" in your human terms. Since I am a Sovereign I have 12 of them. This is not a decision to take lightly, but if I were to sacrifice one of my cores…" Baihumon began to mutter to himself as he faced wave after wave of Heartless._

 _Suddenly a cloak of light covered Baihumon. Sora swore he could hear a shattering sound as the light engulfed the battle field. Sora bathed in the warmth as he lost consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the sad look Baihumon had given him._

Sora weakly opened his eyes. Had it all been a dream? He gazed around the room, confused. _Where am I? The last thing I remember was…. the Heartless! I need to warn…_ He slowed down his thought process for a moment, something didn't feel right.

It came to him in bits. Purple. Tusks. Lightning. Falling. That's right! He wasn't in the Digital World anymore. Actually, where was he? He attempted to pull himself up. Even the slightest movement he made left him in a cascade of agony. He let out a scream of pain, clenching his eyes shut. Let's not do that again.

The movement of something furry made itself known. Something small leapt onto his chest, causing Sora to give a small agonized yelp. The white furry face of a house cat blinked at him curiously, moving in circles as it attempted to get comfortable. The movement caused his chest to erupt in a flash of pain, settling down as the cat curled up, purring. "Hi." he managed to choke out. The cat continued to purr, content with using him as a personal pillow.

Sora could hear footsteps, but he was too weak to be able to move his head. "Oh thank goodness." a feminine voice breathed with relief. "You're awake!" A thin hand found its way to his forehead, feeling for his temperature. "Good, no fever."

"Where… Where am I?" he managed to croak out.

"You're in my house." the unknown woman answered. She seemed to realized he couldn't see her. "I'm sorry." she apologized, stepping into his field of vision. Her most prominent features were her brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair. She wore a yellow cardigan over a white shirt, and a dark blue skirt. "You may call me Miss Asagi." she said kindly.

"Sora" Sora stated, introducing himself.

"Do you need anything? You've been asleep for two days now."

"Two days!" Sora exclaimed, his eyes widening. The small movement caused him to cringe. "Augh." After his pain spasm finished, he looked at . "Actually, there is something you can do for me. Do you happen to have any ethers or potions?" he asked.

Miss Asagi gave him a puzzled look. "What's an ether? Some kind of energy drink?" She turned her back towards him for a moment. "If you need something to drink, I've got plenty of apple juice and water. Food wise, the doctors suggested a strict diet of porridge, soup and apple sauce. Sorry"

Sora gave a small laugh, trying to not hurt himself. "An ether isn't an energy drink. If I drink one, I can get my magic back and heal myself using Curaga. Then I can leave and try to find my friends."

His caretaker gave him a questionable look before becoming quite surprised . "You have friends? Would you mind telling me where you live. I need to inform your parents what happened, and that you'll be staying here under the doctors' orders."

Sora stuttered, fumbling under the pressure. "Um, ah actually, I don't have parents. They're somewhere else… far away." The thought of them made him feel depressed. "Missing me probably."

Somewhere out there, his parents were in mourning, grieving his death. At this rate, they would never see their son again. His dad was a proud fisherman, strong and fast. Daily, he would go out into sea and wrangle up as many fish as he could. His mother, a gentle botanist, thoughtful and caring. She gathered herbs, tending to those who were sick. Tears sprung in his eyes as he thought of them.

Miss Asagi brought over a nearby box of tissues. She dabbed at his eyes, a smile on her face. "Don't worry. We'll track them down. If you ever want to talk, you give me a holler. Or, you could talk to Angel here." she reassured, gesturing towards the sleeping cat.

Sora gave a small smile. "I know. I know that I'm never alone." he stated. _Because all my friends are in here._ He thought, his mind traveling towards his heart.

* * *

"I'm home!" Henry announced as he closed the front door of his apartment behind him. His elder sister and mother had said they would go shopping, and his dad was still working at Hypnos, so only Suzie greeted him. He found her playing pat-a-cake with Lopmon. "Where's Terriermon?"

"He fell asleep." she replied jubilantly, giggling as Lopmon fell over, dizzy from the game. "Let's play again, Lopmon!"

Her elder brother gave her a knowing stare. "Shouldn't you be doing your homework? Otherwise no chocolate pudding for dessert." he laughed playfully at her horrified reaction.

The little girl stood pull, grabbing her Digimon by the ear and running towards her room. "C'mon Lopmon, let's do my addition!" The Digimon being dragged along gave a grateful sigh, glad for the change of pace.

Henry set his backpack on the kitchen counter. Since he had a sub, there was no homework. As per usual, the cafeteria food was indigestible. He brought his own lunch, but he was still hungry, so he decided to make himself a snack. He spread some peanut butter on some apple slices, healthy and filling.

Passing by Rinchei's room, it occurred to Henry that nobody had fed Donald today. His parents and elder sister had been out all day, and Henry couldn't count on Suzie to remember such a vital thing. He looked at his plate of apples. I guess Donald could use these more than me.

The Digimon was normally quiet, eating the meals given to it and leaving the empty plate outside the door. It wasn't a very picky eater, but then again, most Digimon weren't. It did make the occasional request to eat eggs though, which puzzled Henry. Sure, it wasn't an actual living bird, but it did creep out Henry that a bird was eating eggs.

Despite it's quietness, the Digimon appeared to have quite the temper. It practically bit Suzie's head off when she suddenly opened the door and asked if she could play dress up, which Henry could understand. Another incident was when Terriermon tried making it feel more comfortable. The Rookie simply offered it a gummy worm, hoping the sugar would help energize the sad Digimon. Once again, "Donald" grew quite angry, slamming the door in the other Digimon's face, yelling about a "ship".

The Swanmon had eaten an entire dozen of scrambled eggs the other day, so Henry was sure it wouldn't be picky about the apples. He rapped his knuckles against the door, cracking it open when no reply was given. The bed was made, the room picked clean of all stray feathers and litter. The window was wide open, the curtains blowing in the breeze. The Digimon was gone.

Henry rushed towards his room, plate in hand. Terriermon was curled up on his pillow, sleeping soundly. The Tamer grabbed his partner, shaking him wildly.

The Rookie woke up, opening one eye. He spotted the apple slices. "Ooh for me?" he mumbled sleepily, snatching one off the plate and stuffing it into his mouth. His eyes opened instantly, ears perked. "That's the best thing I've eaten in a while. What is it?"

Henry shook his head, mentally face palming. "No time! Donald is missing!" Terriermon fell from his hands, standing up in a second.

"What! Then why have you been letting me eat? We need to find him!"

"Can you pick up his scent? If we're fast enough, we can track him down."

The small rabbit Digimon gave a huff. "What am I, a dog?" Henry stared at him urgently. "The way he eats, he shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Except for the fact that he can fly." Henry explained tiredly. "We need to go, otherwise we'll lose him. He could be doing terrible things for all we know."

Terriermon hopped onto his Tamer's head. "He could just be going to the store." Another glare was pointed in his direction. "Momentai. It looks like he's headed towards the park."

Henry walked brusquely towards the front door. "Suzie, I'm going out. Don't open the door unless it's Mom or Dad." With that, he began to jog down the stairs. He ran outside, mounted his bike, and began to pedal towards the park. "Keep an eye on the skies." he asked Terriermon. The Digimon nodded, gripping Henry's neck with his ears.

Lucky for Henry, the park wasn't to far away. He was expected to take Suzie and Lopmon there to teach them how to use the Digimon cards on the weekend. Suzie was definitly shaping up to be able to defend herself. She managed to trump Kazu and Kenta after having them softened up by Rika.

The park in view, Henry pushed himself harder, nearly running into a man walking his dog. "Sorry!" he cried, turning to face the bike lane again.

"Henry!" Terriermon exclaimed.

"I apologized."

"No. Stop!" Henry put his feet on the brakes, halting the bike from its marathon. The vehicle flipped, dumping Henry and his partner onto the ground. As Henry dusted himself off, Terriermon continued to look up at the sky. "Look" he said, pointing.

Henry did, and instantly regretted it. Up in the sky, among the tops of the skyscrapers, were the distinct shapes of some sort of creatures. They were large, draconian creatures with predominantly dark red skin. Their bellies, were tan, and wings, which were a light red, though the wingtips being dark red. Their bodies were rather thin, while their three-toed feet are quite large, each sporting black talons. Their wings seem rather thin when compared to their bodies, and the wingtips appeared tattered, with several small holes in them. There was a tall, slightly curved spike on each of their shoulders. Their heads were V-shaped and flat. It has beady yellow eyes on either side of its head, matching those of the purple mammoth they fought the other day. At the speed they were moving at, Henry had nearly missed them. He blinked, only to see them disappear.

"So fast." he muttered. If these are anything like the last one, then the town will be in major trouble. Henry shook his head, ridding himself of any further dark thoughts. "We need to get help." He reached into his pocket, grabbing at his cellphone. The only number he could remember was Rika's, so he dialed her.

"Hello?" said an intense voice.

"Rika. Rika it's Henry. No time to explain, we have more of those creatures. It looks like they're all going towards the park. Can you meet up?"

He heard an intake of breath from her side. "Me and Ryo will be there in five."

"Good. Call up the others and tell them what's going on. I'm going in to investigate."

"You can't go in there on your own! Henry wai-" he hung up, not giving her time to complete her sentence.

"C'mon Terriermon. Let's go see what these things are up to." The small Digimon obediently climbed up his shoulder, giving an audible gulp.

"Alone?" he asked meekly. "I don't want to end up like…" he paused. In the next second, his face hardened in determination, not unlike Henry's. "No. I have to, for Sora. It's what he would've done for us."

They walked towards the leafy domain of the park. "I gotta say, this Sora must be a good influence on you. It's been a while since you've listened to me."

Terriermon fell against Henry's head. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." he muttered sarcastically. Coming upon Guilmon's hut, an unsettling sight left them baffled.

Leaving the decrepit structure was a platoon of what looked like shadowy knights, their armor glinting from a distance. Flying overhead were the draconic creatures from earlier. As the platoon of soldiers left, a dark beam of energy dissipated, returning to the shelter of the hut.

"Their coming in from the Digital World." whispered a shocked Henry. What had happened to the Digimon? The Sovereign? Had they been deleted?

A sudden explosion caught his attention. Green bullets pelted the creatures from above. For an instant, Henry was afraid the bee-like Digimon had returned. That is, until a familiar winged figure appeared.

"Ya want another piece of me?" an arrogant voice yelled. Beelzemon gave a few wingbeats, reloading his gun. He unleashed another round, managing to butcher most of the armored shadows.

Henry looked at his partner. "You ready to help out?"

Terriermon gave a smirk as he stared down his enemies. "Do I get an extra large chocolate milkshake. With extra brownies?"

Henry smiled, his partner always made him feel more confident. "I'll add in some extra whipped cream and peanuts too." He grabbed a certain card, sliding it through the slot on his D-Power. "Digi-modify! Digivolution activate!"

Terriermon began to radiate an intense light. "Terriermon digivolve too!" He began to grow in size, his legs and arms getting much longer. The claws on his hands expanded, becoming the massive barrels of two machine gun turrets. A pair of jeans appeared, covering his lower half. Red warpaint decorated his face, giving him a fierce impression. The transforming Digimon grasped at a band of bullet ammo, wrapping it around his shoulder, wearing it as a sash. "Gargomon!"

"Gargo Lasers" he cried, unleashing a volley of green bullets upon the remaining platoon. Those hit fell to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke. "These guys are a piece of cake!"

Beelzemon swooped in, coming closer to Gargomon. "Nice of ya to join the party. I've been kicking these clowns in ta next week." He flexed his wings, showing off his strength.

Henry shot him a doubtful glance, clutching his Digivice. "Don't underestimate them. They can do some serious damage." Beelzemon rolled his eyes, causing Henry to bristle. "I'm not kidding, be careful!"

Gargomon gave a wave of his head. " We'll be fine!" As he said this, a battalion of the dragon like creatures swooped from above tackling him. The Champion picked himself up, wiping some dirt from his face. He gave a sigh, "Me and my big mouth!"

The enemy took this moment to regroup. A black beam of energy burst forth bringing with it a small army of a new creature. They looked like massive bowling balls, having stubby legs and long arms. Despite their bulk, the blue skinned creatures had rather small heads. Clothed with a purple sleeveless bodysuit edged in gold trim, there are two purple shackles, encircling their wrists. The same symbol that was on the mammoth also marked these monsters as well.

"Looks like they brought reinforcements," Henry observed. He strategically backed away from the hut, trying to stay out of the action. Gargomon moved in front of his Tamer protectively.

"Where are the others?" he asked, releasing another round. His bullets only deflected off their bulk, barely doing any damage to them.

Beelzemon squinted through the aerial battle, dodging various attacks as he attempted to find Rika and Ryo. "Looks like we're on our own, Helicopter-head." He whipped around, sensing a presence. Unfortunately, the draconic monster had feinted, instead launching itself at the Mega's face. It's comrades, sensing an opportunity joined in, enveloping Beelzemon in a swarming mass.

Gargomon attempted to fire at the dragons, but their thick skin protected them, the bullets doing nothing. "Henry, I could use a power boost right now." Gargomon asked, sounding tired.

Henry dug around in his card holder. Where was a blue card when you needed one? He held up a different card. This one would have to do. "Digi-modify!" He slid the card through the slot on his Digivice. "Power activate!"

A red glow enveloped Gargomon, increasing his damage output. Using his long legs, the Champion launched himself into the air, towards the writhing mass. "Bunny Pummel!" he cried punching at it with his powerful arms.

Beelzemon finally managed to gain some ground, getting his gun hand outside of the sphere. "You are going to pay for that!" the Mega cried, clearly enraged. He aimed straight up, the weapon charging. "Corona Blaster!" A sphere of red energy left the barrel of the oversized gun, rocketing high in the sky. A few seconds later, it began to fall, the speed increasing the power of the attack. It impacted the top of the living monster net, exploding on contact. A pulse of energy released as the attack vaporized all the monsters that had contained the Mega. Swooping down, Beelzemon caught the falling Gargomon, delivering him to the ground safely.

Despite the near annihilation of the aerial assault, numerous ranks of enemies stormed the ground, surrounding the two Digimon and Tamer.

Gargomon and Beelzemon raised their weapons at the enemies, sandwiching Henry between their backs. "Got any bright ideas?" the oversized rabbit asked. He scanned the crowd, looking for a weak point.

Beelzemon gave a snort. "I was just gonna shoot my way outta here. I may take you with me, if you're nice enough." Henry could tell that the Mega was uncomfortable with the amount of enemies, despite trying to turn it into a joke.

Grabbing a card, he got into a defensive stance. It'd be nice if Ryo and Rika were here now. The Tamer tightened his grip on the card his was holding, clearly shaken. They would definitely need a miracle right about now.

* * *

I **'ve decided from here on out that I would add a "Checklist" of a sort. I realize that my descriptions can be a bit bad at times, so I'll give you a list of all the characters in the story so far. Since this is the first time, prepare for a long list. Later updates will have four or five new updates instead. If you want a clear picture of each character/weapon, I suggest going to the Digimon or Kingdom Hearts wikis, that were I go for a decent description of each character. Also, my next chapters will take a bit longer than normal. I'm not going to have as much time to write as I should, and I apologize. But without further ado, here we go!**

* * *

Kingdom Hearts

Sora

Kingdom Key

Oathkeeper

Shadow Heartless

Wyvern Heartless

Large Body Heartless

Behemoth Heartless

Darkside Heartless

Digimon

Takato

Henry

Rika

Ryo

Kazu

Kenta

Suzie

Guilmon

Terriermon

Renamon

Monodramon

Cyberdramon

Guardromon

MarineAngemon

Viximon

Yaamon

Swanmon

Doggymon

Lopmon

Growlmon

Kyubimon

Gargomon

Kapurimon

Waspmon

Pupumon

That's all I can remember/find throughout the stories. If I missed anything, be sure to leave a comment. Also, I'm curious. How do you guys like the chapter sizes? The average as of now is 4-5 thousand words.


	6. Survival of the Fittest

**It's been a few weeks. I can't write as much as I used to, but I did manage to put this next chapter together. I know my writing isn't the greatest, but I do hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Miss Asagi paced back and forth worriedly, grabbing at fistfuls of her skirt. Attempting to distract herself, she attempted to straighten out the couch she had been camping on for the past couple of days.

Since there was a single bed in the quaint house that she owned, she had graciously donated it to Sora. She would not have an injured boy recovering on a lumpy couch, it would do more harm than good.

A pitiful mew brought the school teacher out of her thoughts. The white cat looked at Miss Asagi expectantly. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be fine" she assured the animal, more trying to convince herself than the cat.

The sound of a door closing only solidified her own misgivings. The doctor she had called appeared, clipboard and bag in hand. "You were right to call me." he stated solemnly. He sat in a chair, gesturing for Mrs. Asagi to do the same.

She set herself on the couch, hands clenched fearfully. "What's wrong?" she asked in a small voice.

The doctor handed her the clipboard, flipping through the various notes he had scribbled down. "When you called me in, you were concerned that he had injured himself further?"

Mrs. Asagi nodded. "When I came to give Sora lunch I found him on the floor. He had taken a nap and he must have been tossing and turning in his sleep. I think he's been having nightmares."

The doctor eagerly wrote down this information. "I'll have to relay this to our psychologist. However, this isn't what concerns me." Flipping to the next page, the doctor displayed a list of information with the present date next to it. "As I performed a basic check up, I discovered that he has a fever of one hundred and one. If it gets any higher, I'm afraid I'll have to return him to the hospital. However, he is in a very fragile state. There's no telling what will happen."

Mrs. Asagi could feel her heart leap into her throat. "Is there anything we can do? He's just a boy." she inquired. _This can't be happening._

A bottle of medication was handed to her. "Get him to take one of these every three hours. They should hopefully bring his fever down." Seeing the horrified look on her face, the doctor gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "He's a fighter. Sora will be just fine." he encouraged.

With that, the doctor exited through the front door, entering the dark storm that existed outside. Dark clouds filled the sky, causing a chill to run down the school teacher's spine. Taking a deep steadying breath, she attempted to calm herself. With courage, she walked into the room Sora occupied, steeling her mind.

The train wreck of a boy was currently in a fevered dream. Beads of sweat ran down his face, his eyelids fluttering wildly. His right hand, the healthy one, twitched constantly, as though it had a mind of its own.

Making a small detour, Mrs. Asagi returned to the room with a damp washcloth. Wiping his face, she rested it on his forehead, attempting to cool him. _He needs to know he isn't alone._ She thought, placing her hand over his fidgety one. Angel seemed to have a similar thought, gingerly settling on his chest.

It may have only been a few days, but Mrs. Asagi felt like she had known this boy forever. He may be bedridden, but he always smiled, lighting up the room and her day at the same time. He told her bizarre stories of mermaids, genies, and pirates. It was his vivid imagination that she really admired. Despite everything bad that had happened, this boy always remained positive. His attitude seemed to be rubbing off on her, she would find herself with a silly grin plastered on her face.

"Less." Sora mumbled. The rest was incomprehensible to her ears. His breathing quickened, his nightmare reaching its climax.

She stroked his face, attempting to calm him down. "You're safe now," she whispered. It seemed to help, causing Sora to settle down momentarily. "I'm here."

A soft mew made her look up. Angel gazed at her, eyes wide. Mrs. Asagi chuckled. "I'm sorry." she apologized. " _We're_ here."

The wind pounded against the window, roaring with ferocity. The school teacher closed the curtains, hoping to bring peace to the small household. _This storm certainly came unexpectedly. Even the weather woman seemed surprised._

Sora's deep breathing filled the room, followed by the occasional snore. Mrs. Asagi let loose a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing. _Good, he's asleep._ She gazed at him, sympathy in her eyes. _He's all on his own. He's going to need all the support he can get._ _I just hope I can ease his pain._

* * *

Despite the dark storm clouds, Jeri walked at a slow pace, her feet feeling like lead. Like the storm, her mind was dark, filled with emotions and fears she had thought were long discarded.

She was happy for everyone, she truly was. All friends had their Digimon back, safe and sound. Everyone but her. Despite her best wishes, Jeri couldn't help but feel misplaced, that she shouldn't be there anymore.

When Leomon had died, she had been weak. She had been able to do nothing as she saw him destroyed in front of her. After the D-Reaper incident, she had resolved to getting stronger. Jeri knew her friends would be able to help, but this was something she needed to do by herself.

"Jeri?" a small voiced asked. The girl looked around, convinced she had finally cracked and that she was hearing things. She relaxed when she saw the small white Digimon known as Calumon. "What are you doing out here in the cold? Shouldn't we be inside drinking lots of hot chocolate? With lots of marshmallows!?"

A small smile spread to Jeri's face. Suzie had introduced hot chocolate to the Digimon the other day. Guilmon and Calumon seemed to enjoy the beverage a little too much, going on "marshmallow rampages" to see who could stuff the most in their mouths at once.

Jeri picked the Digimon up, attempting to hide her sorrow with a smile. She didn't want to bother anyone with her burdens. "Yeah. Let's go to my restaurant. I'm sure my dad won't mind." Finally getting a sense of direction, the two began to make their way to the eating establishment.

"Why do your eyes look to saggy?" the Digimon piped up curiously.

Jeri pursed her lips, looking forward as she walked. She hadn't been sleeping well. During the day, she tried to hold it together among her friends as she struggled to contain her emotions. At night, she was plagued by nightmares. Usually, they were about Leomon. However, she's been having some about the purple mammoth that nearly deleted Cyberdramon.

"No reason. Let's get out of this cold. I feel like a popsicle." she exaggerated, attempting to change the subject. The two continued to walk in silence leaving Jeri to her thoughts.

It wasn't until a large explosion that Jeri was brought back to the real world. "What was that!" she asked fearfully. Smoke billowed out into the sky,marking the disaster. Despite all her instincts screaming at her to run away, Jeri ignored them running towards it, Calumon gripping to her shoulder tightly as he tried to not be left behind.

Her feet pounded against the sidewalk as she raced to the scene. However, before she could get close enough to view the situation, Jeri suddenly found herself surrounded. Inky black creatures with shriveled antennae, and glowing yellow eyes encircled her in a ring. They swayed to and fro, eagerly twitching their gnarled fingers.

Jeri gave a shriek. "What are these things?!" she cried, terror etched onto her face. She held herself uncertainty,the mysterious creatures dancing menacingly around her.

"Get out of here!" a familiar voice exclaimed. Blue fire rained from above, peppering the alien life forms. Jeri ran through the smoke rising from the singed ground. Kyubimon stepped forward, baring her teeth as her enemies made moves following Jeri.

"Where's Rika?" The fiery red head was nowhere on the scene.

Kyubimon gestured towards the smoking building Jeri had originally set out for. "She must be with Ryo. Hurry, I shall cover you." Her body eased its muscles, her nine tails flexing outwards. "Foxtail Inferno!" Fire rained once more, allowing Jeri to slip away easily.

Calumon gazed wildly around. "Everything is so scary and dark." he said in a small voice. His ears shrank, showing his fear for the situation. "Why can't we all just be friends?"

Jeri continued running, panting a little as her legs tired. _I wish it were that easy Calumon._

The sight she was greeted with wasn't pretty. The smoke seen from the sky was coming from the building Cyberdramon was currently smashed into. The Ultimate Digimon struggled weakly as it attempted clamber out of the hole. Rika and Ryo were back to back in front of him, tense. They were pinned between the burning building, and a semi circle of the creatures that had attacked Jeri earlier.

Rika locked eyes with Jeri, noticing her presence. "Get out of here Jeri! Run!" Rika held a card to her Digivice, however there was nothing she could do. Kyubimon was too far away.

Jeri hesitated, unsure of what to do.

"I said to move it!" Rika said more forcefully. "Scram!"

Jeri shook her head. "I'm not leaving," she refused stubbornly. _I'm not losing another friend. For Leomon's sake._

Ryo grit his teeth. "C'mon Cyberdramon! Please get up! I know you're stronger than this," he encouraged, desperation in his voice. He looked at the cards Rika had fanned out in her hand and snatched one. "Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!"

Yellow energy pulsated from the dragon Digimon. With a grunt, he rose to his feet, slowly trudging in front of the two Tamers. Cyberdramon roared in a fit of rage, crouching. He sprung, "Desolation Claw!"

The creature he had been targeting quite literally flattened itself on the ground. Being no thinner than a sheet of paper, it swiftly swerved around its opponent, latching itself onto Cyberdramon's back.

As though sensing weakness, the others followed suit, piling onto Cyberdramon. They scratched and sliced with their claws, the Digimon howling. Ryo rushed towards them, determination on his face.

"Cyberdramon!" He attempted to pull them off his partner, however, his hands kept phasing through their bodies.

Jeri stood rooted to her spot, watching in horror as she clung to Calumon. Tears were in her eyes. _There's nothing I can do! Why did I stay if I couldn't do anything. Now Ryo will lose Cyberdramon too. I'm too weak._ She could feel her tears streaming down her face as her hope ebbed away.

Rika glared at the enemy, not backing down. "Kyubimon!" she yelled. Jeri saw a fire in her eyes, something she wished she had herself.

However Kyubimon did not appear. No matter how much Rika hoped, no matter how much Ryo and Cyberdramon needed her, she was still out of reach.

The first of Jeri's tears slid off her face, drenching Calumon. However, something peculiar happened. The mark on the Digimon's forehead began to emanate a bright white light. The shockwave hit the creatures, sending them tumbling.

Cyberdramon crawled to his feet, teetering from lack of strength. Despite this, he snarled, still determined to fight.

Calumon turned to look at Jeri, a smile on his face, his ears expanding. "You CAN do it Jeri," he whispered. The small Digimon closed his eyes, concentrating.

Ryo began to glow. "Yes, I can't believe it! Good job Calumon! I owe you one!" He held out his Digivice, the brightness only intensifying. In an instant, Ryo was no longer there. However, Justimon had taken his place, his sword arm at the ready. Before leaping into battle, he paused to look back at Rika. "Get out of here. Take Jeri and go help Henry, he needs you now more than I do." With that, he charged,slicing wildly at his foes.

Rika hesitantly looked at Justimon,looking as though she would like to join the fray,refusing to give up the fight. It wasn't until she gazed at Jeri that her expression softened, coercing to take her hand and run. "I saw Beelzemon headed towards the park. I don't know if Henry is still there, but it's a decent place to start." Jeri held Rika's pace, allowing the redhead to lead her. They crossed many streets and turned many corners, attempting to avoid any of the invaders at all costs.

* * *

Takato clung to the white mane in front of him as he attempted to not fall off of Growlmon's shoulders. "Sorry Growlmon." He continued to scan the dark horizons as the large red Digimon ran at a steady pace. The Tamer had specifically told his partner to avoid the enemies. They couldn't afford to be outnumbered by the overpowered enemies.

Growlmon leaped over a couple of parked cars as he turned the corner of a street. "I'm getting tired Takato." he panted. Takato couldn't blame him, they had been running for ages. He patted his friend's head.

"Don't worry boy. We'll find someone soon. We just need to get to the park. That seems to be where we meet up now."

The duo ran past numerous houses, stopping only briefly for Growlmon to catch his breath. Takato would use nearby telephones to attempt to call his friends and discern their locations. However, there was too much static. Takato could only assume the dark storm was interfering with the connections.

Growlmon suddenly stopping running, putting his nose in the air. "I smell Renamon," the champion cried triumphantly. He resumed running, only increasing his speed despite how tired he was.

Takato anxiously looked ahead, scanning the landscape for Renamon and Rika. _They'll be fine_. _I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow found out a way to beat these monsters._ Something was telling him that these weren't Digimon. They were much too savage. They only destroyed and caused chaos. _Chaos…. Are these agents of the D-Reaper? Has it come back even stronger than ever? These must be the newer drones._

"Pyro-Blaster!" Takato was brought out of his thoughts as Growlmon unleashed an attack. The red energy beam scorched the concrete of the sidewalk as it attempted to vaporize various shadowy figures. Takato squinted through the wreckage to see if had any effect. All he could see was limp yellow fur.

"Renamon!" He jumped off of Growlmon's shoulders and ran to her. The Rookie was covered in numerous injuries. "Growlmon! I think you hit Renamon!"

Growlmon looked immensely guilty. "I didn't mean to Takato. I can't smell through the black things." The dinosaur looked on the verge of tears. "I'm a bad Digimon."

Takato crouched and grabbed Renamon, carrying her bridal style. He would not have been able to do this two years ago. However since then, besides getting a little taller and stronger, Takato's mother had made Takato carry large sacks of flour into the bakery. He normally hated the tedious task, but he was very grateful to her at the moment. "It's not your fault Growlmon. I don't blame you. But we need to get her to Rika. Rika can help her with her cards."

Growlmon's eyes hardened in resolve as he ran, continuing to head toward the later, Takato was grateful Growlmon had pushed himself. Now at the park there was a large battle. Gargomon and Henry were huddled together in a ring of dark enemies. Beelzemon flew in the skies, blasting at them from above with his guns, occasionally swooping down to move Henry somewhere a little safer.

Beelzemon rolled his eyes as he saw Growlmon approach. "About time ya got here Pineapple Head. Was getting worried you were in a peanut butter coma again." His gaze landed on the injured Renamon sitting in Takato's arms. "What happened to Foxface?" he asked.

Growlmon gave a small moan. "I don't want to talk about it," he said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

Beelzemon gave a shrug. "Not the point. Go help Bunnyboy. He's in the thick of everything." With that, he flapped his wings and continued to rain down green bullets from the air amongst his foes.

Growlmon stamped the ground a couple times as he readied himself. "Hold on tight Takato." Once he was sure his Tamer had a tight grip, the Digimon lowered his head and charged through the inky black masses of the monsters towards Henry.

Takato braced himself, attempting to hold on. As he and Growlmon ran through the ring of creatures, Takato couldn't help but feel cold as they phased through the inky blackness. The creatures felt like a dark ocean, feeling strangely solid and intangible at the same time. It was when he saw the back of his friend turned towards them that Takato called out. "Henry!"

The blue haired Tamer turned around, relief evident on his face. "Takato! Thank goodness you're here! It's nice to see a familiar face."

Takato jumped off of Growlmon and landed near Henry, the red dinosaur getting into a defensive stance in front of Takato. Both Tamers stood back to back, their Digimon mirroring them. Beelzemon still flew through the air, pelleting various creatures.

"We can never catch a break can we?"

Henry gave a solemn nod. "You never know what you'll get into when you play with powerful forces."

Takato set Renamon gingerly on the ground. "Where's Rika? Renamon needs her."

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "I called her before there were this many of them. They seem to be interfering with the phone signal somehow. I told her to come here. She had Ryo with her, hopefully they'll be here soon.

The black creatures wave to and fro in a rhythmic trance of some sort, slowly tightening the circle. There were many varieties of them. Some wore metal armor. Some looked like large round bowling balls, large in mass. Some even were small little creatures with pointed hats being blue,red,yellow, or green. Despite the differing appearances, they all shared the menacing yellow eyes.

A small wave of the creatures decided to charge towards the Tamers. They flattened themselves amongst the ground, moving across it much like water. Swirling under the Champions' feet, they re-emerged behind them.

Growlmon whipped his tail, attempting to knock them back. However, it simply phased through their bodies, the enemies looking at each other nonchalantly. Gargomon met the same results as he punched and kicked through thin air.

The tight knit ring of enemies grew smaller and smaller, forcing Tamer and Digimon to all but embrace each other. "We can't hit them," Gargomon exclaimed in a panicked voice. "What do we do?"

Henry gazed out thoughtfully despite the chaos. "I don't understand why we can't hit them anymore. What happened? What changed?" He closed his eyes, attempting to concentrate. "Think Henry think!"

Takato clenched his fist angrily. He looked at Growlmon. _I can't lose him again. I just got him back. All my cards are useless._ The creatures continued to slowly advance, as though savouring their hopelessness. _There's only one thing to do._

Taking out his golden digivice, he looked through his cards until he found the one he desired. "Digi-Modify!" He slashed the card through the slot. "Hyper Wings activate!"

A pair of pink fairy like wings sprouted from the Champion's back. Grabbing Henry's hand, Takato rushed towards his Digimon's chest. "Get us out of here!" Understanding his intent, Growlmon launched into the air, beating his wings hurriedly. Gargomon bounced high into the air as well, using his powerful legs to nimbly avoid the incoming attacks.

Beelzemon swooped towards the middle of the ring unexpectedly. He re-emerged,gliding side by side with Growlmon, Renamon over his shoulder. "Forgetting something?" he asked pointedly.

Growlmon looked at the Mega, his face burning a different shade of red. "Sorry Beelzemon. But she would've been too heavy for me to carry."

Gargomon snickered. "Don't let her hear you say that. Otherwise she'll have a new pair of Guilmon boots." He laughed even more when Growlmon gave him a scared look.

"Gargomon," Henry said in a tired strained voice. "Even if the world were to end right now, you wouldn't stop making jokes would you?"

The overgrown bunny shrugged as he bounced. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

Takato glanced at Beelzemon, the Mega being unusually quiet. "You okay Beelzemon?"

The Mega's three green eyes blinked rapidly, as though they were coming out of a trance. "It doesn't matter right now," he grumbled. "Where are we going?"

Henry cleared his throat, a sign he had an idea. "We need to find Rika. If we can get Renamon fixed up, we can get more organized. She also may have an idea where the others are."

From their aerial perspective, the Tamers and Digimon could see how large the scale of attack was. Takato could see it, but he couldn't believe it. This wasn't a simple attack. This was a full on invasion.

* * *

Kenta gazed out of his bubble, his face horrified. His Digimon, MarineAngemon, snuggled in his arms, attempting to comfort his Tamer.

"How is this happening?" he said to nobody in particular. He tended to do that when he was scared. The streets of the town were gone, hidden from existence by the large black mass of the alien like creatures. "No way these are Digimon. They're too scary to be Digimon."

 _Bubble boy strikes again_ he thought glumly. _I can't do anything but sit up here. I haven't felt this useless since the D-Reaper._

Flashes of light assaulted the bubble, causing Kenta to flinch. "What's happening!?" MarineAngemon flew out of Kenta's grip, hovering protectively in front of his Tamer. Suddenly, the bubble popped, being struck by a lightning bolt. Kenta free fell through the air, screaming and grasping desperately at nothing.

 _Why does my life always have to end so suddenly? Every day is just another nightmare._ He closed his eyes, preparing for the inevitable impact.

But it never came. He felt something grab hold of the back of his shirt, hearing the frantic beating of wings as well. He meekly opened his eyes, expecting to be in the clutches of an evil Digimon or one of the aliens.

What it actually was surprised him, or rather, _who_. A white bird Digimon with an elegant neck was currently carrying him with its beak, its wings beating heavily as it struggled to carry the boy.

"Swanmon?" Kenta asked, not believing his eyes. _I'm saved!_

"My name is Donald!" the Digimon quacked in a raspy irate voice. However, in correcting Kenta, the majestic bird had opened its mouth, letting go of him. The Tamer once again began to scream, screwing his eyes shut as he fell through the air again.

 _I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to-_

"You can open your eyes now," "Donald" huffed in annoyance.

Kenta did as instructed, realizing he had been caught in the waiting paws of another Digimon. "Doggymon?" The cartoon Digimon set Kenta on his feet, saluting the boy with a silly grin plastered onto his face.

The Swanmon continued to glare at the Tamer, impatiently drumming his webbed foot on the pavement. "C'mon Goofy. We need to go!"

The Doggymon nodded, following the angry bird as they headed in the direction of the park.

"Wait," Kenta gasped, reaching towards the Digimon. "Where are you guys going? Let me come with you." _I need them to protect me. I can't be on my own. I'll get turned into a shish kebab._ MarineAngemon crawled out of Kenta's jacket, floating towards the duo.

Donald gazed at the tiny Mega, not amused. "Scram!" he yelled, attempting to distance himself. MarineAngemon didn't flinch, instead giving a small giggle.

"Kahuna Wave," he said quietly, blowing a kiss at the swan. A small heart shaped bubble left his lips, exploding in the bird's face as it made contacting. Donald looked dreamily content for a moment, blushing as he snapped out of the small trance he had entered.

"They can stay," he grumbled quietly, smoothing out his feathers. When Donald wasn't looking, Kenta let out a silent air pump. Goofy saw it, giving the Tamer a wink.

 _Thanks MarineAngemon_ Kenta thought as he looked at his Digimon. _You're the best partner I could've asked for._

Donald turned back around, gathering the others in a huddle. "We need to get to the park. If we can get to the keyhole, I have a binding spell I can use to keep it shut for a little while."

Kenta looked at the Digimon, perplexed. "Keyhole?" he asked.

Donald sighed. "We don't have time for this!" he yelled angrily. "Just get us to the park!"

The Tamer nodded, understanding the urgency. "I know a quick route. It should be pretty hidden too." Feeling a new sense of hope, Kenta took off, followed by the three Digimon.

 _Wait...Did he say binding spell?_

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **Justimon**


	7. Trust

Suzie sat in the kitchen, kneeling on the tile with trembling knees. She hugged Lopmon to her chest not daring to make a sound. The little girl was hiding under the table, scared for her life. She had done exactly what her brother had told her, not opening the door for anyone besides her family.

Well, that may've been a little bit of a white lie. She _may_ have opened the door when she saw the icecream truck drive by, shouting its musical tune to announce the arrival of frozen dairy treats. Suzie had _hypothetically_ gone against Lopmon's wishes, broken open her piggy bank, and purchased a double scoop of strawberry swirl from the truck while _totally_ not leaving the door open.

But that wasn't the problem at the minute. The problem was the medium sized hulking black figure with shriveled antennae, gnarled claws, and menacing yellow eyes. Had it not been hunting her, Suzie would have thought it may have been cute.

Lopmon struggled against her Tamer's iron grip, probably trying to leap into action. But Suzie wouldn't let her. She wouldn't let her precious little Lopmon get hurt. Not again. Last time she had let Lopmon fight, she had gotten taken back to the Digital World.

Suzie was at the wise age of nine now, and she had decided to never let Lopmon fight ever again. If she didn't fight, she couldn't get taken away, right? However, her partner had other ideas.

"Suzie," the little rabbit wheezed. "You need-" she continued to push against her Tamer's arms. "-to let me go." No use in being quiet anymore, the invader had clearly heard the argument and was creeping towards the table.

Suzie gave a scream, crawling out from under the table and running towards the door. She managed to make it, the creature hot on her heels. Tears blurred her vision as she rounded another corner. _Where's Henry?_ _I want my big brother! -Oof_

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Suzie realized she had run into something solid. Looking up, she found herself looking at a tall person wearing a black coat. However, she could not discern his face, as only his mouth was visible.

"Child," the stranger said in a silky smooth voice. "Whatever are you running from?"

Suzie gazed at him fearfully. "Mister, there's a scary monster after me!" Despite him being a total stranger, she got behind him, using his body as a shield. Intrigued, the stranger looked down the hall she had come from.

"I see nothing."

The small Tamer peered from around the black robes. It was true. The black monster had disappeared.

"You must have an active imagination, child," the stranger scoffed as he walked out of the apartment complex. Suzie watched him go, wide eyed and confused.

"Lopmon, what just happened?" she asked. She looked down at her partner before she realized she was squeezing all the air out of her partner, Lopmon's face turning bright red. Suzie quickly released the rabbit, her partner flopping to the ground like a ragdoll.

Lopmon began to rapidly inhale, color slowly returning to her face. " Thank goodness!" Once she had ample oxygen in her system, she got the gears in her brain working. She looked at her Tamer who was still shaking. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

Suzie shook her head uncertainly. "I'm scared Lopmon. I don't know what's happening anymore."

The Digimon placed her tiny claws on her Tamer's hand. "Do not worry Suzie, we're fine now. I do not sense any danger anymore."

Suzie looked around nervously. "Are you sure?" _I don't want anymore monsters. They're too scary._

Lopmon nodded confidently. "Actually, your brother is coming this way as we speak. Takato, Growlmon,Gargomon,Beelzemon, and Renamon are with him." The little rabbit sat on the ground. "It would be best if we wait here." Suzie leaned against the wall and slid down as she seated herself, hiding her face behind her arms and knees.

Mere moments later, she heard the sound of wingbeats, large thuds, and echoing footsteps. Somebody touched her arms.

"Suzie are you okay?!" a concerned Henry asked, worry evident in his voice. Hearing his voice, she looked up. Her brother looked rattled. His clothes were tattered, his arms shook, his eyes wild. _What happened?_

Not being able to hold herself together, Suzie wrapped her arms around her brother and began to cry again, happy to not be in danger anymore. "I want to stay with you now," she managed to mumble into his arms between sobs. Her brother said nothing in return, only hugging her tighter.

Beelzemon broke the moment. "What do we do now?" He scanned the environment, as though sensing something.

Takato,surprisingly,was the first to pipe up. "It should be safe to go back to the park. As we were flying, the blackness seemed to disappear. Everyone else should hopefully meet us there." He gestured to a nearby pay phone. "I managed to call Ryo and Rika. They said they'll met us there."

Beelzemon sighed heavily. "Who am I gonna have ta carry now?" His three eyed gaze fell distastefully on Suzie and Lopmon. Resolving his internal issues, he extended his one free arm, as his other gun arm was currently supporting the unconscious Renamon in its elbow. "C'mon pipsqueaks."

Henry also sighed, however his seemed full of relief. "Thank goodness we finally have a sense of direction." He looked at his sobbing sister and gazed into her eyes. "Go with Beelzemon, he'll take care of you."

Suzie slowly walked to the expectant mega, clutching Lopmon to her chest, but not so tight as to cause an extreme cut of oxygen again.

She wasn't sure to think of Beelzemon. She remembered when she had first met him. He had attacked everyone, killed Leomon, and had nearly killed Guilmon as well. After that, he had helped a lot during the D-Reaper, trying to save Jeri and eventually eliminating many parts of the red monster. She didn't quite trust him, but if her brother did, she would follow his judgement.

Beelzemon gripped her chest tightly, rolling her into the crook of his arm. "We going ta the park or what?" he asked sharply, as though trying to get this experience over as quickly as possible.

Henry shook his head. "We need to see if everyone is alright." He and Takato got in front of Growlmon allowing the large Champion to grip them.

Before he took flight, Growlmon gave a moan. "I'm hungry, Takato." As if to prove his point, his stomach gave a particularly loud rumble.

His Tamer gave a little nervous laugh. "I'll feed you when this is all over," he promised.

Beelzemon rolled his eyes. "Can we go already?" With that, he launched himself into the air.

Suzie gave a shriek of terror as she felt her body move sharply against Beelzemon's arm. She kept her eyes closed, too scared to look down. Lopmon's strangled voice reached her ears despite the wind howling in them. "Suzie," she gasped.

The Tamer realized she was _yet again_ suffocating her Digimon. She forced herself to ease the tension in her fingers, but was having trouble complying.

As though sensing her unease, Beelzemon tightened his grip on her body. "You really think I'm gonna drop ya you munchkin?" he muttered.

Hearing the remark, Suzie slowly cracked her eyes open, able to ease the tension in her arms. Lopmon gave a sharp inhale, grateful for the oxygen.

Now that her eyes were open, Suzie could see _everything_. Skyscrapers whirled past beneath her feet, bright city lights danced in the horizon. Growlmon flew next to Beelzemon, flashing Suzie a goofy grin when their eyes met. It was hard to discern anything else really, as thick grey clouds rolled across the sky.

Despite the gloom evident in the air, Suzie couldn't help but feel exhilarated. "I'm flying!" she squealed loudly, a smile plastered on her face, replacing the sadness she had felt moments earlier. Nothing could touch her, not up here. She was fast, she was safe, she was _free_.

"And yet whose doing doing all the work here, Shortstack?" Beelzemon grumbled. He flapped his powerful wings to slow himself down, angling his body towards the park that sprawled beneath their feet. "Finally here. Could these two minutes _be_ any longer?"

* * *

The air was thick with tension. That was the first thing she sensed as she slowly regained consciousness. Renamon's eyes slowly flickered open, sensation hitting her body like a brick wall. Her limbs felt as heavy as lead, making it difficult to move.

Rika stood over her, her Digivice and a Stamina modification card in hand. _She must've used them to revive me._ Determined to not be weak in front of her Tamer, Renamon ignored her body's protests and got to her feet. She was not injured, merely tired.

Now that she was of vertical posture, Renamon was greeted with the sight of her fellow Tamers and Digimon. Suzie was currently sitting against a tree, her brother Henry have a conversation with her. Based on the expression of his face, Renamon could tell it was serious. Takato was currently protesting to a certain Guilmon, the Digimon rummaging through Takato's backpack, looking for food no doubt. _Food will never satisfy him._

Rika's cold glare interrupted Renamon's observations, her arms crossed tightly over her heart T-shirt. "So," she said in a steely voice. "Why don't you tell me what happened, Renamon." the Tamer said through gritted teeth, a hint of anger in her voice.

Renamon knew her Tamer would be mad at her. She didn't blame Rika, not after what she had done.

 _Rika parked her bike neatly, chaining it to the nearby bicycle rack. Tens of hundreds of people wandered past Renamon and her Tamer. Despite giving her the occasional stare, none commented on her "startling appearance." Renamon had come to love how open minded the people of Shinjuku. When she had returned from the Digital World, she had expected to have to hide out in secrecy, as before. But now, she was free to roam the streets as much as she liked._

 _The two of them were currently in the parking lot of the hospital. After Rika had woken up the next morning from getting home late at night, she had explained everything to her mother and grandma. They had decided to let Rika skip school for at least that day, if not more. After she had been fussed over more than she liked, Rika had decided to visit Sora for the day, hoping he would wake up and maybe give her some answers._

 _Renamon put a hand on her Tamer's shoulder. "Will you be alright?" she asked, concerned._

 _Rika nodded. "Why? Nothing happened yesterday," she said nonchalantly._

 _Renamon nodded her head knowingly. She had known her Tamer would say something along that line._

" _Actually, I was about to ask the same question to you."_

 _Her ears perked up, surprised. "Am I alright?" Her Tamer nodded. Renamon honestly didn't know the answer herself. But she couldn't look weak in front of Rika, not again. So she simply nodded._

" _Good. Now let's go inside. If we take any longer we won't be there until next summer." With a smile, the two of them proceeded towards the automatic glass doors at the entrance._

" _Hey! Rika! Renamon!" The two of them stopped short, looking for the voice that had called them._

 _Ryo ran up to them breathless, an equally breathless Monodramon behind him. "Fancy meeting you two here," he said, grinning ear to ear._

 _Despite his smile, Renamon could sense how tense he was. Something was worrying him._

" _Oh brother," Rika sighed. "What are you doing here?"_

 _At the sigh, his smile fell, his face adopting a more serious pose. "How…" he hesitated. "How is he? Will he be alright?"_

 _Rika formed a similar expression on her face, and against her wishes, Renamon could feel herself trembling._

" _We don't know yet," she replied softly. Renamon could barely hear her over the crowd of people. "He has a lot of serious injuries, and last I saw of him, he was going into surgery."_

 _Ryo nodded. Renamon could feel his anxiousness._

 _Surprisingly, Monodramon piped up. "Can we see him?" he asked timidly. The Rookie's normal cheerfulness seemed muted. Renamon suspected he had reverted to his Rookie form so he might be able to see Sora. She doubted the hospital staff would have let him in while he was his normal state._

 _Rika gave a nod. "We were about to do just that." She gestured towards the hospital doors. "Follow us and you can see him for yourselves."_

 _Ryo quickly sidled up next to Rika, Monodramon positioning himself next to Renamon. The electric doors opened, the four of them somehow fighting the crowd of people and getting onto an elevator with relative ease. Probable of the fact that nobody would want to mess with a Digimon, or two for that matter._

 _Renamon was the first off the lift once they reached the correct floor. She walked up to the front desk of the visitors center. Instead of the elderly man from the night before, a plump woman with red hair now occupied the desk._

" _Can I help you?" she asked, eyes not leaving her computer screen._

" _We would like to see Sora."_

" _Last name?" the receptionist asked._

 _Rika piped up. "We don't know his last name."_

 _The receptionist looked up finally. Catching sight of Renamon and Monodramon, she froze for a moment, caught off guard. After a short hyperventilation episode, she seemed to reclaim her composure. "If you don't know his last name, you are clearly not family of him. I'm sorry, but according to the rules, only the family of the patient may visit them._

 _Renamon could feel her partner's growing frustration, she felt similar emotions. "We were just with him yesterday!"_

 _The receptionist began to type on her computer. "I'm sorry ma'am, but it's hospital policy." Renamon clenched her fists angrily, causing the receptionist to flinch._

" _He saved our lives!" Ryo exclaimed audibly. Various people looked up at the sudden argument that seemed to have broken out. "If not for him, we would not be standing here. The least we owe him is to be there and thank him! He even saved Monodramon here." he proclaimed, pointing at the Rookie Digimon._

 _Many of the bystanders whom had been listening to the conflict gathered around Renamon and her friends, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. She was not used to be surrounded by so many people._

" _Let them through lady!" Someone yelled. "Yeah! They saved the world! Bend the rules a bit!" screamed another. Similar statements were issued from the mob, overwhelming the receptionist._

 _The crowd of noise persisted, only increasing in volume as their rage grew. Finally, the red haired woman snapped. "ALRIGHT!" she screamed angrily. The crowd grew silent. "They can see him."_

 _Renamon stood in awe. She had not expected so many humans to defend her and her friends. It seemed the human world she and her friends had protected years ago HAD been worth saving._

 _Ryo clapped happily as the mob began to disperse. "Thanks for the help everyone!" The bystanders simply smiled and nodded._

 _The receptionist angrily tapped away at her keyboard, browsing through the files her computer contained. After clicking her mouse a few times, she paused, reading the screen. It wasn't until she started rereading the screen when Renamon felt that something was wrong._

 _A frown had appeared on the woman's face. "Looks like you can't visit your little boyfriend." At the statement, Rika bristled angrily, intensely gripping the edges of the desk with her hands. Ryo's eyes widened in surprise at her display of emotion. "He's been transferred."_

" _Where?" piped up an anxious Monodramon._

 _The receptionist shook her head fiercely. "I would've bent the first rule of letting you visit him, but I'm not breaking this one. All you have to know is that he is in the care of the person who found him." The Tamers and Digimon looked at each other, confused._

" _But WE'RE the ones who found him!" exclaimed Rika._

 _The receptionist stood up. "I've had just about enough of your attitude missy. You did not find him. You merely returned him here. Now then, I'd you two and your pets to leave before I call security."_

 _Ryo lunged at the desk, most likely to give the woman a piece of his mind, however Rika put a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon Ryo," she said seethingly. "Let's get out of here, she isn't worth it._

 _Renamon was surprised by Rika's self control. She'd have imagined it being the other way around, Ryo holding Rika back. The four of them got back into the elevator, gladly leaving behind the atrocious high pitched woman._

 _The ride down to the parking lot was silent. Renamon followed Rika as she unchained her bike. Monodramon and Ryo stood next to them as she mounted it._

" _What are we supposed to do?" Monodramon asked, destroying the awkward tension. Ryo looked at his partner, giving him a hug._

" _We need to find him. We need to track him down."_

 _Monodramon attempted to scent the air. "I can't smell anything. There are too many people around." He looked at the ground, Renamon sensed his defeat. "We'll never be able to find him._

 _Renamon heard an irritating sound that made her cringe. "Sorry," Rika apologized through clenched teeth. She pulled out her phone, answering it and putting it to her ear. "Hello?" she said in a harsh tone, her anger from earlier clearly evident._

 _Renamon allowed herself to wallow in her emotions for a moment. They would never find Sora. He was injured,alone,and missing all because of her and her fellow Digimon. Why should he risk himself for creatures and people he did not know? They had been through alot in the Digital World, and she was still sure that it had been Sora who had sent her home. For everything he had done for them, they would never be able to repay him._

 _Rika gasped. " Me and Ryo will be there in five." There was a pause before Rika began to speak rapidly. "You can't go in there on your own! Henry wait!"_

 _Renamon shook her head, attempting to clear herself of emotions she needed to stay hidden. This was not the time or place for them. From Rika's discussion, her Tamer would need her._

 _Rika shoved her phone angrily into her pocket. "More of those strange Digimon from before. They're in the park. We have to go."_

 _Ryo nodded without hesitation. "Let's go Monodramon!"_

 _Monodramon gazed fiercely at his Tamer. In an instant his body glowed and began to expand. Standing before Renamon and Rika was now Cyberdramon. The Ultimate gave a roar of rage, expelling his previous emotions to the sky._

 _Not looking to be outclassed, Rika drew a card and sliced it through her Digivice. "Digi-Modify!" She flipped the card. "Digivolution activate!"_

 _Renamon began to glow an intense light as she sensed new energy pooling into her body. "Renamon digivolve to!" Renamon got onto her hands and feet as she became quadrupedal. Her single tail grew in length, as well as in numbers, stopping at nine. The ends of her tails and her paws became enveloped in a mystical blue flame. Her head and neck grew a beautiful white mane, matching perfectly with the Ying/Yang symbols marking her body. "Kyubimon!"_

 _Rika ditched her bike and got onto Kyubimon's back, the discarded vehicle falling to the ground. With Ryo and Rika securely mounted, the two Digimon began to make their way to the park._

 _Rika was busy calling other Tamers to help. She managed to contact Takato and Kenta, Kazu going straight to voicemail._

 _Kyubimon came to a sudden halt, jolting her Tamer against her head. Blocking her path to the park was a horde of humanoid creatures with shriveled antenna._

" _I suggest you get off Rika," she suggested. Her Tamer obliged, the Champion encircling her protectively. She had already lost one friend, she WOULD NOT lose Rika._

" _Dragon Wheel!" She exclaimed, attempting to bowl over her opponents. The inky black creatures simply flattened themselves to the ground, Kyubimon flying over them as a blue fireball._

 _Two of the creatures moved towards Rika now that Kyubimon had created distance between the two. "Desolation Claw," Cyberdramon cried, swooping from the air and defending the Tamer. Ryo, atop from Cyberdramon's back, grabbed Rika's hand and pulled her up._

" _Need a lift, Wildcat?"_

" _Thanks I guess," Ryo gave a gasp._

" _A thank you!?" he said with mock surprise. "I shall treasure it always."_

 _Kyubimon spread her legs out, facing her attackers. "Foxtail Inferno!" Blue fireballs peppered the small horde of enemies, causing smoke to fly into the air._

 _Once it cleared, Kyubimon could see that the creatures weren't even fazed. As though sensing her uneasiness, one of the entities latched onto her back. Others that were currently battling Cyberdramon quickly turned, following the first one._

 _Kyubimon was underneath a growing pile of the monstrosities. She was growing colder and colder, she could feel them sapping her energy._

" _Kyubimon!" cried a worried Rika. She could barely hear her own Tamer._

" _Cyberdramon!" ordered Ryo._

 _The Ultimate Digimon growled. Kyubimon could hear the beat of his wings, and suddenly, she felt his claws grasp at her fur. Cyberdramon flew a fair distance away, depositing her onto the ground in front of a large building._

 _Kyubimon gasped desperately at the air that surrounded her, those creatures had nearly suffocated her. It was amidst her heavy exhales and inhales that she perked up, her body going rigid. That scent, it was very faint, almost unnoticeable, but she recognized it. It was Sora!_

 _Cyberdramon landed heavily onto the ground next to her. Rika dismounted the Ultimate and rushed to her side. "Are you alright Kyubimon?" she asked._

 _She could barely hear the question. She had to track him down. She just had to! If she didn't now, they would lose him and most likely never find him again._

 _Determined, Kyubimon rose to her feet. However a growl from Cyberdramon caught her attention. "We have more company!" Ryo warned._

 _Rika fanned out her cards, looking through them. "C'mon Kyubimon! We need to help out."_

 _Kyubimon looked from Rika to the direction Sora was in. She couldn't leave Rika in danger, but she couldn't lose Sora again._

 _Her eyes made contact with Cyberdramon's. He nodded in the direction. Yes, clearly he could sense him too. Being an Ultimate, his keen of smell was much higher than hers. She doubted she could have even detected it had she not Digivolved. Swallowing her feelings, she knew what she had to do. Kyubimon was certain Cyberdramon could protect Rika._

 _Kyubimon began running in the direction of the scent, taking care to not look at her Tamer._

" _Kyubimon!" Rika exclaimed in confusion. "Where are you going!?" Kyubimon kept running, certain that she had to leave before she could not. It broke her heart, but she had to do it. "Kyubimon!"_

 _She rounded the corner, fighting the guilt that would burden for a lifetime._

Renamon made no move. She had no defense, she knew what she had done was wrong. "I thought I had found him Rika." she said slowly. "I thought I had finally found him. But it was a dead end. His scent became too mingled with the surroundings, and I lost it."

Rika continued to glare at her, her arms still crossed. "I don't buy this."

Renamon flinched, surprised. "What?" she asked, confused.

"You haven't been fully honest with me. You've been off your game lately. For the last few days you've been nothing but a Digimon punching bag."

When she thought back through the past couple days, Renamon realized Rika was right. Every day, since she had returned to the human world she would've been injured or knocked out at least once. She had just woken up from being unconscious a few minutes ago!

"I honestly do not understand all of this myself," Renamon admitted.

"Then tell me what you _do_ understand."

The Rookie Digimon had trouble piecing together words to express how she felt. "It's just… No. Rika, nearly everything I knew is gone. The Digital World has been destroyed, I lost two years of your life. For a while, I thought Sora had been lost as well. I could do nothing to defend against the threats that stripped me of these. And now I have begun to question if I can protect you." As she spoke, the words she spoke burned her tongue. Despite not knowing the whole story, there was still a certain truth, one she had rather hoped to ignore.

Rika merely stood in silence. A silence Renamon didn't particularly enjoy. She had not felt Rika be this tense and stoic since way back when she still pictured Digimon as tools.

Rika opened her mouth, however no words came out. Despite wanting to hear her Tamer's thoughts, Renamon's senses locked onto another target who was just entering the park.

"Ryo is here." she said simply.

Rika nodded. The two of them looked up from one another to see the Legendary Tamer slowly limp towards them.

Cyberdramon was nowhere to be seen. However, nestled under Ryo's arm was a small purple pear shape object.

Henry and Takato ran up to Rika, Terriermon and Guilmon remaining with Suzie. "Ryo is finally here?" Henry asked.

"He looks like he was hit by a bus!" Takato exclaimed worriedly.

The three Tamers ran towards their friend. "Glad of you guys to join us," Ryo said tiredly as they stopped in front of him. He lowered himself onto the ground, extending his body across the grass.

"Are you hurt?" questioned Henry. Ryo shook his head.

"No. Just exhausted. I fought so many of those Digimon. Wore me and Cyberdramon out. We barely held Justimon together for as long as we did."

Takato's eyes widened. "You guys Bio-Merged?!

"Where's Cyberdramon!?" Rika asked harshly, interrupting Takato.

Ryo gave a weary laugh. "No need to worry Rika. He's right here." he assured her, pointing to the purple object.

Takato got out his Digivice and pointed it at the Digimon, a picture of it appearing on the device.

 **Hopmon**

 **Attribute: None**

 **Level: In-Training**

 **Moves: Hop Hip**

Takato smiled a little bit. "He's so different compared to his normal form. So small and …...cute." he complimented hesitantly.

Ryo simply nodded, a weathered grin on his face. "Told you he was a puppy on the inside." His partner was currently sleeping.

 _I should never have left Cyberdramon alone._ Thought Renamon guiltily. _If our enemies caused him to revert this far back, they took too big a toll on him. I dread to think of what he had to go through._

The flapping of wings filled the air, causing the four of them to look up. Beelzemon swooped down towards them.

"Is Jeri safe now?" Takato asked.

"Yeah yeah, I got her and Calumon to her dad's restaurant." The Mega explained grouchily. "I'm tired of being everyone's taxi cab!"

"You won't need to anymore." Henry assured. "But that's what worries me. Where did all those Digimon go?"

Renamon also had the same question. Beelzemon had told her that while he had carried her, they had flown high into the air and had seen at least a hundred of them.

"It seems to have resolved itself though." she said aloud.

"We've all had a tough day, can we just go home?" Takato asked. He was looking at Guilmon who was doing handstands with Terriermon.

Ryo gave a heavy sigh. "It's probably for the best. I can't think of anything else for us to do. While I was walking back here, it looked as if nothing had happened at all."

Henry's frown deepened. "That's what worries me." His eye were trained on Suzie, his little sister snoozing under the tree he had left her at.

"Momentai," Terriermon piped up, suddenly jumping onto his Tamer's shoulder. "If they come back, we'll just push them back again."

A large rumble echoed around the surrounding area. Renamon looked to the sky, scanning it for thunder. _That mammoth better not come back!_

However, a certain red Digimon and his Tamer both looked sheepishly at each other. "I don't know about you guys, but we're hungry."

"My tummy is trying to talk to me!" agreed Guilmon.

The Tamers shared a laugh at this as Guilmon's stomach growled again. Renamon could feel a small smile on her face. She had missed this. She gazed at Rika only for the smile to vanish.

It was then that Ryo came up with a suggestion. "We need to go check on Jeri. May as well head over to her parents' restaurant and get some food while we were there."

Takato suddenly became jumpy. "Um. We're going over there. Now? As in right now?" Henry shot him a look that seemed to calm him down. The goggle headed Tamer in turn looked at Guilmon. "C'mon boy. Let's go get some milkshakes."

Still feeling tired but not willing to look weak, Renamon helped Ryo up and allowed him to lean on her as she supported him. He had one arm over her neck, the other carrying the sleeping Hopmon

Suzie, not wanting to be left out, grabbed Hopmon. "I got him!" She exclaimed proudly.

Ryo's eyes widened. "I wouldn't-"

It was too late. At Suzie's loud voice, the In-Training's eyes flickered open. Being in the arms of an unfamiliar person, Hopmon began to bawl. The poor frightened Digimon cried and yelled, causing Lopmon and Terriermon to cringe.

"-do that." Ryo finished.

"What is that?!" Terriermon asked, futilely putting his tiny claws over his large ears.

Suzie quickly returned the crying Digimon. Many minutes passed before the tears subsided into whimpers.

"It's okay Hopmon," Ryo comforted in a soft soothing voice. He brought the Digimon closer his chest with some difficulty, only having one usable arm at the moment.

Once the Digimon settled down completely, Renamon could feel Ryo relax a bit. "Sorry about that. I forgot to mention that Hopmon is shy."

"And yet when he Digivolves, he turns into a killing machine," Terriermon commented.

"Terriermon!" Henry screeched. "That was rude! Now apologize."

"Sorry" muttered an annoyed Terriermon. It didn't sound like he meant it however.

 _Everyone is exhausted. Tempers are beginning to run high. I'm sure food shall fix this. I can't afford to lose anyone else._


	8. Doubt

Miss Asagi groaned. Yet another school year had begun. A new year of spitballs, excuses for lack of homework, and the insistent talking of students interrupting her. However, something would be different. No longer would she be teaching at middle school level. Thanks to her hard work for many years, and her luck of a teacher retiring, a spot for a teacher at a high school would now belong to her. Would the same behavior from middle school follow her to this school? Perhaps. However, these students would be older, meaning they would hopefully be more mature.

She looked at her watch. 5:37am. She would have plenty of time to get a tour of the campus and review her lesson plan before the students would arrive at 8:30. For now,with coffee in hand, she could leisurely wander over to the school at whatever pace she desired.

A light fog currently shrouded the bustling town. Droplets of due trailed along the lamp posts that was guiding the teacher. An occasional car zoomed by, foreshadowing the large traffic jam there would be mere hours later. Not many people were out and about this early in the morning, she welcomed the peaceful silence.

A chilly breeze swept past her, coercing the teacher to wrap her pink jacket tightly around herself.

Miss Asagi was beginning to regret wearing her heels. She had been walking to the school for 20 minutes now, and her poor feet were beginning to blister. She figured she would grow used to the walk though.

She began to hum a bit of a tune that she had heard on the radio earlier. She was actually excited for the beginning of the school year, now that she thought about it. Sure, there would be some bad behaviour. But, she knew she would be able to reach at least a few students. Her memory took her back a few years, picturing a certain class, before shuddering. Not all her students would be like Kazu.

That year had certainly been one of the most...exciting. Monsters roaming the city, children having to defend it. She didn't know if she could take too much more excitement in her life like that.

As though the universe were out to prove her wrong, a white flash blinded her vision. A shockwave of some sort knocked her to the ground.

She picked herself off the ground, hold a hand to her forehead which had sustained a light bruise. _What had happened!?_ Her head swiveled from right to left, looking for any changes in the environment. _Please….Please no more monsters._

To her right, was the street. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A car zoomed past her, solidifying her thoughts that nothing had happened, that perhaps she had imagined everything.

She glanced to the left, confident nothing would be in the alleyway that greeted her. It was hard to see through the fog, but she could discern some boxes and some black garbage bags. _See? Nothing to fear._

Her heart began to calm down. She hadn't realized it had quickened in the first place. Just to prove to herself that this was absolutely nothing, she decided to go _into_ alley.

She placed a slightly shaky hand on the boxes. Nothing happened. Just ordinary square boxes. She released her throbbing forehead, feeling a bit better about herself.

 _I always work myself up over the silliest of things._

Just for good measure, she gave the trashbags a kick. However, her foot met much more resistance than she had expected. Curious, she stepped a bit closer.

She regretted not being quicker in the first place.

It was a boy. His eyes were closed, the teacher assumed he was homeless, asleep at first. That is, until she saw his wounds. "Hey, are you alright?" She asked in a fearful voice. She didn't get a reaction. Tentatively, she placed her hand on his wrist, only to withdraw. He was stone cold!

 _No. I have to do this!_ This child needed help! No matter how scared she was, she needed to stay strong and take the initiative.

Determination in her eyes, she place her hand on his wrist again. At first, she didn't sense a pulse at all. It wasn't until she calmed down for a moment that she could feel it. It was faint, but his heart was still beating.

The teacher whipped out her cellphone and called 9-1-1. "What is your emergency?" A feminine voice asked.

"I found a boy. He's unconscious, injured, and barely has a pulse." She was surprised how steady her voice sounded. "I'm on Blossom Avenue, in an alleyway."

"How severe are his injuries?" The operator inquired.

Miss Asagi glanced at the boy. The black clothes he work were torn by what looked like claw marks. His head had a small amount of blood on it.

"He looks like he was attacked by a dog." Her voice began to increase in volume and pitch. "I just told you he barely had a pulse. Isn't that enough?!"

"The ambulance will be there momentarily." With that, she hung up.

Miss Asagi didn't know what to do. She could try dragging the boy to the sidewalk, where he could be seen, but she felt that would do more harm than good. She didn't know the extent of his injuries.

Despite not moving him, she took off her jacket and put it over his body, attempting to warm him a bit. _How long has he been here like this?_

Just as the operator said, she could hear the sirens of the approaching ambulance. Miss Asagi rushed out onto the sidewalk, flailing her arms so the ambulance could see her.

The ambulance had slowed down as they were checking each alleyway. But when they saw her, they picked up speed and raced to meet her.

A paramedic jumped out of the driver seat and rushed to her said. "Where's the boy?" he demanded. The teacher grabbed his hand and dragged him to the victim, too stressed out to think to use words. Another paramedic popped out the back of the ambulance, prepping a gurney.

The moment they saw his condition they got to work. One paramedic ran back to the ambulance, flinging the back doors open and crawling inside. The other began to feel along the boy's body, assessing the damage.

The paramedic who had gotten into the vehicle leapt out, clutching a large satchel. He raced to meet his partner.

"It's not good George," said the paramedic, who had stayed with the boy. " A fever, a broken hand, and claw marks all over his body. He's unresponsive at the moment, but I can't gauge how extensive his injuries are until we get him to the hospital." He grabbed a syringe from the bag and injected it into the boy's arm. "The dog that did this may've had some sort of disease. This painkiller should make him numb enough for us to move him. We'll need to move quickly, he may have internal injuries.

George nodded, running back yet again to the ambulance. He pushed out the gurney, delivering it at their patient's feet.

As the two men began to delicately but swiftly move the boy, Miss Asagi could only feel horror. Would this boy be alright? She watched them place the gurney in the back of the ambulance.

George glanced back at Miss Asagi. "Are you coming?" he asked.

The teacher nodded vigorously before climbing into the back as well. George sat in the back, tending to the boy. "Make it snappy Roger!"

Roger turned the sirens of the ambulance on, barreling towards the hospital at an incredible speed. Miss Asagi grabbed onto a metal bar to support herself.

The teacher gave a relieved sigh. Now that the boy was going to the hospital, he would be okay. She could tell them what she knew, and have just enough time to get to school before she would be missed. First impressions needed to be great. She didn't want her students to loathe her for being late. They would miss out on their education if she couldn't give them work!

However, sharp movements dragged her out of her thoughts. "Roger, I'm gonna need you to step on it, he's stopped breathing!" In response, the vehicle picked up even more speed.

George began the process of CPR, giving him mouth to mouth and pumping rhythmically against his chest. Four dreadful minutes passed, feeling more like four lifetimes, before George backed away, looking down. "Roger…" he said slowly. "Turn the siren off."

Tears blurred Miss Asagi's vision. " _Sora!"_ She screamed. " _NOO!"_

She bolted into sitting position, her quilt flung off the couch and onto the floor. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest at the rate it was going at. The teacher swung her legs off of the couch and clutched her head as she attempted to calm down.

 _It was just a dream. It was just a dream. If I go into the next room, Sora will be there, fast asleep and alright._ It was nothing but a nightmare. A twisted apparition of how she found Sora, but a nightmare no less.

After several minutes of deep breathing, Miss Asagi stood up, shuffled into her slippers and attempted to find her way into Sora's room. This would prove troublesome however, as it was in the dead of night, the house pitch black. She raised her hand up to her face and failed to even see it's outline.

Several more minutes later, the teacher had managed to find a wall. Not wishing to become lost in her own house, she slowly creeped along it. Slowly, she shuffled toward the direction that she believed led to her bedroom.

Finally, she had made it, but not without a few stubbed toes from the various pieces of furniture she had kicked. Turning the knob, Miss Asagi opened the door and fumbled for the light switch, finally flipping it on.

Just as she told herself, Sora was fast asleep on the bed. Soft snores echoed throughout the room as the injured boy slumbered. Miss Asagi hated people for snores, but for Sora, she had made an exception. This sweet innocent boy was all alone. He had no parents as far as she could tell. She would have inquired about them more, but Sora was still too weak to stay awake for long.

On the brightside, the medicine seemed to be working. Sora had only taken two pills, but his fever had reduced drastically. Miss Asagi would have even called it magic. The storm had also disappeared. She was usually grateful to the rain, but with Sora and his fever, she had been far too nervous. Much like her nightmare, many frightful scenarios had run through her head.

Now that she could see, Miss Asagi delicately settled herself on the edge of the bed. This boy, he needed her. She held his non damaged hand, grateful that he seemed to slowly be recovering.

However, something was amiss. Miss Asagi scanned the room, once, twice, until she came to a conclusion. Angel was nowhere to be found. She found this quite odd, as the white cat simply _adored_ Sora, Miss Asagi found it rare for the two to be separate. She remembered reading an article on how pets seemed to increase the recovery rate of people. At first, she had been very suspicious of it, but now, she full heartedly agreed.

 _Angel must be asleep under my quilt. She does love to burrow under blankets after all._

Despite her eyes feeling heavy, she knew she could not sleep. Not with her thoughts as frantic as ever. Sora was making a recovery, but as the doctors had told her, he was not out of the woods yet. Amidst all her dark thoughts, it was then that inspiration hit her.

She looked at the cuckoo clock she had in the room. _4:46am._ There was not a more perfect time for her idea to become a reality. Slowly standing up, she creeped out of the room, closing the door. She left the light on, knowing Sora would call her when he needed. _**When**_ he woke up.

* * *

Time had seemed to slow down. Yet here he was, slowly descending towards a brightly colored platform of some sort. It was hard to discern what it looked like, but as he got closer and closer, the platform began to come into focus. Beautiful stained glass depicted him in its swirling figures. Surrounding his self image were pictures of his closest easiest ones to see were of Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy.

Sora knew where he was now. He had Dived into his Heart. He couldn't do it often, but he could sometimes come here if he concentrated hard enough. He usually came here to store his energy before a big fight, such as when he had defeated Xemnas and his Organization.

However, he did not have a clue as to why he was there now. From the little bits he remembered, he was stranded on an unknown world. He had no friends, no items, no Gummi Ship, and was currently recovering in a woman's house as he had nothing to heal his wounds with.

His feet softly landed on the surface of the platform with a gentle _thud_. He looked around curiously. "Hello?" He asked hesitantly.

Just as he expected, there was no answer. However, just because there wasn't an reply didn't mean he had to sit still. He didn't get many chances to come here, now was the chance to explore.

There clearly wasn't much to see. It was just him, his stained glass platform, and the misty dark blackness that surrounded them. So much for exploring.

"Guess it's just me, myself, and I on this adventure."

"Not quite," said an unknown voice.

Sora looked around. However, there was literally nobody here but himself! Unbeknownst to him however, he was _not_ alone.

A light shown the platform, casting Sora's shadow. He normally wouldn't have paid it any mind, however it seemed to be _growing_. It stretched, slowly accumulating and rising from the floor into a black sludge like substance.

 _This can be anything but good…._

A black hand broke through. Rising from the ground, a black shadowy figure with spiky hair emerged. Sora felt as though he were looking at a mirror, if his reflection was stained black.

 _I'd like to thank you for all the snacks_.

Sora looked around. He didn't hear an actual voice, more like words were being projected into his mind. Nobody but himself was here, so he assumed it would be the shadow that was standing before him.

 _Your loneliness, your fear, your sorrow, they're all quite delicious._ Sora could feel a sinister aura surrounding him

"You," the boy stuttered. "Who are you?"

 _You mean you don't know?_ A picture of a malicious grin, filled with sharp gleaming teeth, was projected. _Why, I'm your darkness of course._

"No. You can't be."

 _Come now. Did you really think you didn't have darkness inside you? That you were some special hero that would defend the realms at any and all costs? You're just a boy._ The taunts seemed to echo throughout not only Sora's mind, but his heart as well. The wispy figure closed the distance between it and Sora, wrapping a scraggly arm around his shoulders. _You weren't meant to be here. You're just a child, lost and alone. Did you really think you could make a difference? Become a hero?_

The more his counterpart "spoke", the more Sora began to believe it. He WAS just a child. What was he doing here? He should be at home, helping his parents cook dinner. Or exploring the islands with Riku and Kairi. He could never accomplish anything on his own.

The silhouette unbeknownst to Sora was slowly growing in size, feeding on the negativity.

 _Perhaps._

Sora looked up, the effect of his thoughts dawning on him. He jumped back, summoning his Kingdom Key and getting into his combat stance.

 _Perhaps I should put an end to your misery._

The shadow gave its first audible noise, a terrifying bone chilling roar. It began to advance, ready to engage Sora.

Sora gripped his Keyblade tightly, ready to give a wild swing in an attempt to defend himself. However, before he did anything, the creature suddenly stopped. It raised its head and gave another roar, however its pitch was different. As though it were in pain.

A gleam caught Sora's eye, directing his attention away from the monster. Staked in the ground was a very familiar white Keyblade. Oathkeeper.

"Hyaaah!" Cried another voice. A swift figure raced towards the shadowy monster, cutting it in half with another familiar Keyblade. Oblivion.

The silhouette dissipated, fragmenting into nothingness. Sora, unsure of the intentions of his "ally" gripped is weapon hesitantly.

"C'mon Sora. You can't forget me that easily can you?" A familiar snide voice asked.

Hearing it, Sora gasped, dismissing his Keyblade in an instant. "Roxas?"

"In the flesh." He corrected himself. "Or not really. You know what I mean."

"It's been a while."

"Has it? From what I gather, it's only been a few weeks since you defeated Xemnas. Or...I think. That Digital World's timezone screwed me up."

Sora nodded, before doing a double take. "Wait a minute? You can see everything I've been doing?"

Roxas shrugged. "Sort of. I've only just started being able to sense stuff. I mean, I can feel how damaged your body is. And how depleted our magic reserves are. Which really bites by the way."

"Yeah," he said slowly. "I wish I had my friends. Or even just an item or two."

"I know," Roxas said slowly. "I know how it feels to be alone, to feel that you don't belong. To not be able to feel."

"That's right." Sora remembered. "You were a Nobody…"

Roxas very quickly changed the subject. "But that's besides the point. This isn't about me. This is about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You." The former Nobody took a breath. "I know we didn't start off on the best foot. But you were always so happy and cheerful." His eyes hardened. "What happened to that person?"

"What?" Asked a confused Sora.

"I've been having to fight your inner darkness. Yeah, you just met him. When we first met, he wasn't a problem at all." The blonde haired boy looked into Sora's eyes, blue meeting blue. " But lately, he's been growing."

The Keyblade wielder's eyes became downcast. "I guess that was my fault then. I know I've caused nothing but trouble. I'm sorry I'm causing all these problems. I guess-"

"HEY!" Yelled Roxas in a harsh voice.

Sora stopped in mid sentence. A small black cloud that had been accumulating suddenly dispersed. Roxas walked over to Sora, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It feeds on negativity. The darkness inside you. I'm going to keep trying to keep it back. If you really want to be of help, then no more bad thoughts alright?"

Sora was about to speak, to tell Roxas that he didn't have to do that, but the Nobody put a finger to his own mouth, shushing him.

"I want you to be positive. Experience life for the both of us. Experience what I can't anymore. I want that, as a favor. Live it to the fullest. No matter what you think, you're not alone. You made a promise remember?" He gave one of his rare smiles. "You're gonna have to keep it."

Sora's eyes flickered open, light blinding him. He was no longer in his Heart, but rather Miss Asagi's house. Roxas' final words echoed through his mind, reminding of all that had happened.

He put his hand over his chest. _I will, Roxas. Don't worry._ However, he had forgotten the extent of his injuries. He had moved his broken wrist and had placed it on his chest, which had a few broken ribs. He gave an excruciating yell, pain exploding his senses.

In response, footfalls resounded throughout the room. A door was thrown wide open, Miss Asagi appearing in the doorway.

"I'm….okay," he managed to gasp through clenched teeth. He still felt intense pain, but it was slowly fading. It would be several minutes before it felt manageable, not leaving him completely, but still a dull throb.

Miss Asagi rubbed a cool washcloth over his face. "Better?" He nodded. "Thank goodness you're awake. I was worried when you had developed an intense fever."

Sora gave a small smile. "It seems it's gone now."

The woman placed a gentle hand on his head, ruffling his hair. "The doctors were worried you might not make it." She stated absentmindedly. "I'm glad you proved them wrong."

"That's my job. To defeat the impossible."

Miss Asagi gave a heartfelt laugh. "You sound like a superhero." Sora was glad he could get her to loosen up. It was the least he could do for the woman who was caring for him. She had taken him in when he had nowhere to go in this strange world. Her voice interrupted his thoughts. "Sora?" She asked. "Do you think you can tell me what you were dreaming of last night?"

Sora attempted to remember, however everything was fuzzy, as most of his memories were these days. All he could remember was darkness surrounding him. After that, he had appeared in his Heart. "Sorry, I don't really remember anything."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Not with that fever and your condition." However, another thought seemed to occur to Miss Asagi. "Oh no! I'll be right back Sora!" She promised, racing out of the door.

The injured boy watched after her, curious as to what she had to do. He couldn't move his head too much, but he did notice a few differences in the room. Many blankets lay scattered amongst the floors, pillows nestled in their folds. A chair sat next to his bed holding a book open spine up. Pill bottles, thawed out ice packs, and a thermometer littered the nightstand next to the bed, blocking the clock. _Had Miss Asagi been here all night caring for me?_

Think of the devil and she shall appear. Miss Asagi stood in the doorway, holding a metal tray. She carefully walked towards the bed, nimbly avoiding the pillow mines that lay scattered around. Reaching her destination, Miss Asagi unfolded the legs, setting the tray above Sora's chest.

On the tray, Sora was greeted with his first real representation of food. He had assumed he had eaten whatever was given to him, but had been to out of sorts to remember any of it. It may be a simple meal of applesauce, oatmeal, and water, but Sora eyed it with great desire.

As if on cue, his stomach growled, reveling in the food aromas.

"Glad to see you have an appetite for once."

"I can't remember the last time I ate to be honest," Sora said sheepishly.

Despite how much Sora wanted to eat, he had a dilemma. His right arm was broken, as well as his left wrist. _How am I supposed to eat exactly?_ This would be easily solved however. Apparently, Miss Asagi would just spoon feed him as she had before.

Sora allowed her to feed him, focusing his gaze solely on the food. If word of this got out, Donald would never let him live it down. Despite the embarrassment however, Sora couldn't help but also feel content. He couldn't remember the last time someone had gone to such extreme measures of caring for him. It was comforting to say the least.

* * *

Rika lay in her bed, idly staring at the ceiling. The words echoed through her mind, repeatedly forcing her to relive the moment.

 _I have begun to question if I can protect you._

Renamon was having second thoughts about herself. What had happened to the Digimon that was proud? The strong Digimon who had been high above the rest, the one that could make any battle look effortless.

Rika knew she didn't know the full story, she doubted Renamon would ever spill everything that had happened to her. Not if she was this traumatized, this hesitant, to fight for what she believed in.

There had to be a way to revitalize, to heal the emotional wounds she had received. If Renamon was anything like herself, she would hide her pain, so as not to burden anyone else.

She looked at her watch. 12:31pm. Renamon would still be training in the park for a few hours.

Since her return to the human world two weeks ago, Renamon had taken to strictly training while Rika was in school. Of course, Rika was not in school, on account of her mother allowing her to stay home after the hospital events.

Renamon seemed to be avoiding her lately. Rika knew she would come if called, that was a given, but the Rookie Digimon spent as little time at the house as possible. She no longer came to Rika's home to sleep, eat, or even have some meaningful conversations with her grandma. She knew Renamon needed her space, but her distance worried her.

At least it was a change. Rika sat up from her bed, this thinking would get her nowhere. If she wanted answers, she would just have to get them herself. "Renamon," she said aloud.

Mere moments later, the Digimon was kneeled behind her. "Rika," she said simply.

Rika turned around, ready to have a heart to heart chat with her partner. However, she stopped short, surprised. Renamon had not come alone. Skulking in the shadows was the massive form of Cyberdramon.

"What is Cyberdramon doing here?" Rika asked curiously.

Renamon stood up for a moment before settling onto the floor cross legged. The Digimon looked at each other before nodding. "We feel it is time we told you some of what has occurred during our time in the Digital World."

* * *

Kingdom Hearts Characters

 **Roxas**

Digimon

No new characters

* * *

My Readers, I know I am not the most brilliant of writers. I've been rereading what I have written and have begun to notice that this story does not have much of a plot. I DO have one in mind, do not worry. However, I still have much to build up upon, and will take much more time to get to the ever elusive plot haha. So I have decided that this will become a "prologue" of sorts. Yes, I will continue to write. All this means is that there will be another story after this. That will be the story that will knock everyone's socks off. Dramatic twists, budding romances, comedic stunts, it'll have it all. So I hope you have something to look forward to as I finish all this backstory. Read, relax, and enjoy!

Also, a short side question. Would you prefer I add titles to my chapters? Or simply keep them as chapter 1-10 etc? Alright, last question. How are the length of these chapters? Too long? Too short? Please let me know with a review or Private Message (PM).


	9. Remembrance

I'd like to thank Furno for leaving a comment. Your feedback is very valuable and I really appreciate it! Reviews and advice left behind give me the motivation to write more. They let me know people want to see more, and that I should continue. It won't be easy, but as Furno suggested, I will attempt to update more frequently. To give you guys an idea, I used to post a chapter a month.I'll be shooting for a chapter every two weeks now. Maybe even one a week if I have the inspiration and motivation. But I without further ado, let us resume!

* * *

"Come on Sora! What's taking you so long you lazy bum? Riku is already at the docks."

"Sorry Kairi, I was just thinking of some stuff. He flashed a smile. With his spiky brown hair and black magical garments he possessed, he looked so innocent. You could even call him handsome or dashing. To most people Sora wasn't very bright, but deep within his mind he was pondering how he had gotten home. _It was the door to light, but how was it opened? Was it Kairi's light inside my heart that unlocked it? Or, was it my heart? Everywhere I travel people keep saying I'm the key. But the key to what is the real question. Of course for all I know it could've been Riku, he's been growing, strengthening his bonds with his friends. Aurgh, I keep over thinking, now my brain hurts._ Putting a hand onto his overcooked forehead, Sora sighed.

He looked at his beloved redhead. With her hair longer than Sora remembered, along with the look of determination always on her face, she was the same as he had left her, spirited and cheerful. Now that she had a Keyblade maybe Sora could give her some lessons. They would finally have something to talk about. To think after searching for a year, sacrificing himself for her, and watching her kick evil in the behind, he still couldn't tell her how he felt about her.

After finally getting home and defeating Xemnas plus the Organization, Sora was relieved to finally relax. Even with Riku's infinite Potion supply, which he somehow fit into his jeans, the boss battle had been extremely terrifying and difficult. Sora could barely stand after the battle, but Riku had taken most of the bigger hits. When both had crossed the threshold of the door to light, their weary bodies had been reenergized like old batteries.

Sora finally realized how much Kairi had grown. The way she had gracefully handled her new Keyblade had made a good impression for a beginner. The way she just smiled at him when they had embraced reminded Sora of the main reason for what he was fighting for. Sure he was a little hesitant with her but he had to get used to this new feeling of love for her. Over the two long years Kairi had grown in both in strength _and_ beauty. He blushed at the thought.

"Hey Sora, what's up? Why's your face so red?" Kairi looked concerned. She had just gotten home with the Sora, and now he was acting strangely.

Sora finally had her attention, now was time to make a move, he just hoped he didn't stutter like he usually did. "Look K-Kairi I w-was wondering if-" _Aw nuts_. Sora stopped walking feeling rather felt as though he had been punched in the gut and fell to the sandy shores gasping for air. A stream of saliva left his mouth, his body convulsing. Suddenly Sora was looking up into Kairi's magnificent blue eyes, the way they glistened left him mesmerized. Time seemed to slow down as he fell onto the lofty sand. _Beautiful._

Somehow he was falling into a hole. _How is this possible! Is this a corridor of Darkness?_ He looked around, fearful if a Heartless should strike; he wasn't surrounded by the usual inky blackness, or the desire to fall unconscious. Instead he was wide awake with adrenaline pumping into his veins surrounded by different shades of green, from the lightest sea foam to the darkest ebony. _What kind of magic is this?_

 **It's not magic Sora, it is the data that has called you here into this realm. In order for you to succeed you must embrace the data.** A voice echoed.

"Wait, who's there? And what do you mean?" Sora was starting to panic, various numbers and symbols surrounded him. Below him from what he could see was a desert of some kind. There were many rock formations suggesting huge wind storms.

 **I t is not for me to say. This is only a piece of the prophecy you must fulfill. It will be a very long but prosperous journey filled with new friends and foes. Best to brace yourself for the forthcoming of the events yet to come.**

"But I just got home. Now I have to go to another world? After all I've been through I have to go on _another_ journey? Can't I ever catch a break? I literally only got to spend about an hour with both my friends after I've been searching for them for two years! This is no fair!"

 **I know it is hard, but that is the job of the Master of the Keyblade. Remember, you are the key. ** The voice began to fade.

" _Aurgh that phrase is really starting to annoy me. How long have I been falling for? That drop down there is going to really hurt._ Scrunching up his face, Sora concentrated on one, and only one thought. _Kairi_. As sudden as the fall, he began to slowly glide down, his feet sinking into the sand. Sora sighed, "Thanks Peter, I'm glad you taught me to fly. I just wish Donald and Goofy were here too. It's very lonely and I'm in the middle of nowhere. And why am I talking to myself?" He shrugged. All that surrounded him was sand and a single cactus.

"Well, there are no witnesses or Heartless, sooo…" Raising his hand in the air a cluster of lights began to form. Mere seconds later the Kingdom Key was in his hand. With its golden hilt and silver stem, Sora had to squint against the glint of sunlight to get a precise target. With one swift blow, the cactus was cut in two. Picking the needles out with his fingers Sora had created a bowl. Looking in the stump was a small reservoir of precious water; he used the new bowl to scoop up the water and began the long and lonely exploration of the seemingly deserted world.

Slowly walking for countless hours, Sora was growing weary. His body still worn from his previous endeavors against the Organization hadn't had time to heal. And the black clothing wasn't helping. Panting heavily he slurped down the last of what little water he had. _I knew I should've stopped and grabbed some water when I had the chance._ Scanning his surroundings Sora saw no more cacti, the only thing he saw was a huge dust cloud.

 _What is that red blob? And what is that_? Chasing the walking red splotch was what looked like giant walking cactus with big red boxing gloves. _I'm saved! But wait, wait, WAIT a minute! Cacti can't move, is this a mirage? If it isn't, that thing looks like it's in trouble._ He scratched his head. _Let's go check it out; it's better than dying of thirst._

Finally having the motivation to run, Sora broke into a sprint to see if he could help the creature. " **Needle Spray!"** Thousands of splinters covered the sand, a couple protruding from the red creature, Sora ran even faster desperate to help it. Suddenly it started to return fire, literally. " **Hot Bite!'** The cactus ran in circles desperate to rid itself of the blaze.

"Hey you big cactus, pick on someone your own size!" With Keyblade in hand Sora started chopping at it. The blows merely glanced off the prickly hide, barely sustaining any damage at all. The creature he was defending was starting to grow weary from the heat and the battle. Knowing Sora needed his friends; there was no way he could defeat his opponent by himself. He grabbed the little red creature and ran in a different direction while the big cactus was rolling in the sand dousing the flames, oblivious to the pair.

After running for about ten minutes Sora stopped. Looking around there was nothing in sight. No life, wind, not even a nice stone bluff for cover, just an endless stretch of boring sand. With the coast clear he sat down and began picking needles from the little blob's hide. Upon closer inspection the little tyke had little red winged ears and golden eyes filled with innocence. It had little black triangles under its eyes and a white underbelly. With a stumpy red tail with a black tip and tiny little legs, Sora was amazed at how fast the animal moved. "So what happened there little guy? Why was the giant boxing cactus chasing you?" He assumed it talked, considering all of the weird things that have happened to him in the past.

"Well I'm looking for my friends. I've been stuck in the middle of a dessert so I've been eating these prickly plant things" he began in a squeaky voice. " I thought that thing was one but it wasn't. So after I bit it, it got all mad and started to hurt me. All I wanted was some food… " he gazed dreamily in front of him as though there was an all you can eat buffet.

"There we go, last one" stated Sora multiple thorns in his teeth. "Now stand still." He usually wouldn't use his magic on such a petty injury, but the creature looked helpless, the way it eyed him curiously, it reminded Sora of a little newborn baby. Summoning his Keyblade he cried out " **Curaga!** " Green tendrils of soothing energy wafted over the red blob and closed the multiple wounds covering it.

"I feel all fuzzy inside, thanks I know Takatomon can't do that" the little thing looked down. "Aww now I miss Takatomon even more."

"Who's Takatomon?" Sora asked, being careful not to use long words as it might confuse the poor thing. It had poor grammar, as Sora suspected it was just like a baby.

"Takatomon is my best friend. We would play tag or he would feed me bread when I was hungry which is always. Guilmon bread! A loaf shaped like my head!"

Sora looked on in confusion. "So what happened to your frien-"his stomach growled, causing him to blush. "Why don't we go find some food, uhh ... With all the excitement I forgot to ask your name." He put his hands behind his head, leaned back and made the friendliest and encouraging smile he could. "Anyways I'm Sora."

"I'm Gigimon" he chirped. Struggling to stand up with his stumpy legs Sora grabbed him and they began their quest for food for both bottomless pits.

* * *

Vixiemon struggled to hold her ground. Her legs trembled, her eyes were clamped shut, all from the damage of one attack.

"Did you really expect to sneak through our territory?" several voices asked in unison. "You shall make a tasty morsel," they chided with glee.

The small yellow In Training Digimon did not have the energy to answer. She could barely maintain standing for much longer. _Orochimon. A new one must've come in and taken over the swamp._

After Vixiemon had been forced from the portal and split apart from Rika, she had been tossed into the swamp. However, after the D-Reaper had drastically all but eaten the Digital World, much of the geography had changed. She has been desperately searching for allies, but has had no success. All the Digimon she came across have been aggressive, desperately trying to absorb her data.

The large Ultimate wrapped its tail around her, bringing her mere feet away from the central head. "Come now, no final words my little morsel? Whatever happened to your supposed strength?"

Vixiemon refused to open her eyes, to allow her predator the satisfaction of seeing her fear. She knew no matter what she did, she was no match for him, not in her current state. After the one attack, she was barely able to hold herself together. She could feel her body beginning to disintegrate.

 _Out of sight, out of mind._ Her thoughts turned to Rika. _I am sorry I could not see you one last time. It appears I was too weak to survive on my own as I once did. You gave me strength, allowing me to grow to my full potential._

"Pyro Sphere!" an all too familiar voice exclaimed. Vixiemon dared not to open her eyes. She just couldn't believe it.

"Auuugh!" roared Orochimon. The Ultimate's body seemed to be thrashing, its grip loosening on her. She could feel herself falling, landing on the grassy turf.

The next moment, she felt herself being picked up. _Guilmon?_ Suddenly she was thrown onto the ground again.

"Ahhhhhhgh!" screamed an unfamiliar voice.

She was picked up again. Again they were moving, yet much slower. Leaves brushed against her fur, were they crawling underneath a bush?

Whoever or whatever had taken her, she much preferred them over Orochimon. However, not knowing whether they were friend or foe did not mean she should lower her guard.

Despite her numerous wounds, her body seemed to be recovering rapidly. Her data seemed to be stabilizing thankfully.

She was roughly deposited onto the ground, a powder, most likely dust, flying into the air and causing her to sneeze.

Finally sensing a stillness of sorts, she opened her eyes. She was in an abandoned burrow of sorts. Little light slipped through the entrance, allowing her to see, but dimly. She managed to turn around, gasping in shock.

It was a human.

"Glad to see you're okay," they croaked. With that, they promptly slumped over.

Vixiemon assessed the situation, her eyes landing on a large puncture wound on the human's leg. Orochimon must've bitten them as they were fleeing.

An idea popped into her head, causing her to stumble out of the cave. While she'd been surviving here, she had come across a berry plant. These berries were full of data, and while they did not increase a Digimon's data, it allowed them to recover their data nearly instantaneous. She had made it a habit to stay near it at all times, using it when she was on the brink of disintegrating.

She was a bit unfamiliar with this certain area of the zone however. All she could do blunder around wildly and hope she found them.

 _I must find them!_ She stumbled and fell onto her face. However she slowly got to her feet and returned to scrambling around. _This human, they may be able to tell me how they got here. I may even be able to return to Rika!_ She knew she would have to be quick. Orochimon's fangs secreted a toxin, eventually killing their prey in case they somehow managed to escape. Thus allowing the Ultimate to feast happily.

By some miracle, she had somehow managed to find the berry bush. Vixiemon greedily gulped down some berries for herself, her body completely returning to normal. As she gathered the data infused fruits, nearby leaves began to rustle, much too fiercely for it to just be the wind.

She got low onto the ground, ready to pounce on the Digimon that would attempt to hunt her. However, it wasn't an enemy Digimon.

Crawling quite feebly from the bushes, was a very injured Guilmon.

"Guilmon!" she cried in shock, rising up to meet him. His data was breaking up so quickly, she could barely recognize him. Vixiemon crammed the berries she had gathered down his throat, the Rookie weakly swallowing.

His data began to slowly congeal together again. Vixiemon heaved a sigh of relief. _No! I can't relax now. I must learn what that human knows._ She began to quickly gather berries again.

"Renamon?" groaned Guilmon. He pulled himself off the ground and surprisingly gave her a hug. "I knew it was you!" he laughed.

"No time Guilmon," she barked. "Just grab as many of these berries as you can." The red Digimon complied hesitantly, confused as to why she was acting like this.

The two of them rushed back towards the burrow, nearly tripping over tree roots and wading through shallow marshes. Seeing the shelter in sight, Vixiemon put in an extra boost of speed, launching herself into the hole.

The sight was not welcoming. Vixiemon couldn't see much due to the human's clothing, but near the wound were pulsating purple veins. This meant the poison was tightening its grip onto the human. There was no time for hesitation. She needed to act and she needed to act now.

Just as she had with Guilmon, she began to stuff the berries into the human's mouth. However, he did not have the energy to chew them. She did not have hands to help him, and Guilmon was still nowhere in sight. Unfortunately there was only one thing to do.

She gathered the berries and popped them into her mouth. The In-Training began to chew the berries very finely into a pulp. She climbed onto their chest, close to their face. Closing her eyes, she spat into the human's mouth, the berry pulp sliding down their throat.

No changes seemed to occur, worrying Vixiemon. She had only theorized that the berries would work. In the Digital World, humans may temporarily become data, but they were still humans. There had been a chance the berries would work, and a chance that they would not.

She repeated the dreadful process, glad that Guilmon was still outside the burrow. It wasn't until the ninth mouthful that the purple veins began to recede. Around the twelfth mouthful, the puncture wound began to disappear, leaving flawless skin in its wake. Had there not been a hole in their pants, it would've seemed like it never happened.

Now that there was no danger, Vixiemon allowed herself to calm down. She was quite curious of the human, it had been ages since she had seen Rika. Looking into their face, she decided that the human was male. His structure reminded her very much of Ryo, lithe and muscular.

He wore black garments, lined with many red pockets and zippers. Brown spiky hair lay atop his head. The boy looked a fair bit older than Rika, however it was hard to tell, humans were hard to read.

At first, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her. However, it was persistent. A familiar noise that she had grown accustomed to. She paced around the boy, eventually finding it. A red Digivice. This boy was a Tamer!

The boy began to stir, shifting his body and causing Vixiemon to cling to his chest. Slowly, he opened his eyes, making direct eye contact with her.

"Kairi?" he murmured. Vixiemon tilted her head at this, puzzled.

The boy blinked, his eyes becoming more alert. "Whoa," he cried out in surprise. He recovered in a second. "Nice to meet you. You must be Renamon. Guilmon has talked about you and your friends a lot."

"It's Vixiemon," she corrected.

"Vixiemon?"

"Renamon!" cried a jubilant Guilmon, rushing into the burrow. The red Digimon happily ran circles around her. "I'm so glad we found you! Soramon and I were looking for ages but couldn't find anyone."

The human sighed. "Guilmon, my name is Sora." He gave a laugh. "I'm not a Digimon."

"Sora?" Asked Vixiemon. "This is your name?"

Sora nodded. "The one and only," he stated with a silly grin.

"How did you get here?" Vixiemon inquired, her confused demeanor hardening into a more intense one.

The human put a hand behind his head, his eyes scrunching up. "I honestly don't know," he said finally. "I had finally just gotten home and then I fell into this weird portal. I woke up and found Guilmon in the desert. That's about it."

A thought nagged in Vixiemon's head. "Where's your partner?" she asked.

This seemed to confuse Sora even more. "Partner?"

Vixiemon sighed in frustration. "You ARE a Tamer, so where is your Digimon partner?" she asked through gritted teeth, bobbing her head in the direction of the Digivice.

"This?" he asked, holding up the small device. "I didn't know what it was. It's been driving me crazy with all the beeping it's been doing."

As if to prove him correct, the Digivice began to hum mechanically. Mere seconds later, a holographic image appeared.

 **Vixiemon**

 **Attribute: None**

 **Level: In-Training**

 **Moves: Killing Stone**

"Never seen it do that before," mused the boy in awe.

"That is the basic function of the Digivice." Vixiemon explained. _I guess he doesn't know anything. I suppose I will have to teach him. Guilmon would just make him more confused._ "You are a Tamer," she continued. "This means there is a Digimon out there who is looking for you. You are to work together with them, helping them grow as they will attempt to protect you, an unbreakable bond."

"I wonder who chose me? I mean, it just showed up out of nowhere."

"The Digital World is no place for humans. Especially now after what happened with The War of Chaos."

The snapping of tree trunks interrupted the conversation, the trunks falling with loud thuds. Vixiemon was sure why she knew this was happening. "We need to leave. Orochimon is looking for us, it will attempt to absorb our data if it catches us."

Sora jumped to his feet. "I'd rather not have to face that thing again. It was tougher than the hydra at the colosseum I had to fight. Man was that thing hard. Especially with Phil yelling in my ears the whole time" The human seemed to shudder at the memory.

Vixiemon rammed herself into Guilmon whom had been napping. The Rookie bolted up, surprised by the impact. "We need to get out of here Guilmon," she said urgently.

Guilmon moaned. "But my feet are tired. And I miss Takato."

"Now is not the time."

The trio shuffled out of the burrow, breaking into a sprint as they saw the eight heads of Orochimon coming into view. " Why hello my morsels. Have you been fattening up? You've just gone and made yourself more delicious for me? How thoughtful."

 _Curse these legs!_ Vixiemon thought as she struggled to keep up with Sora and Guilmon. Not looking where she was going, she tripped over a tree root and fell.

"Inferno Blast!" exclaimed the Orochimon, a large fireball forming from each of the heads. They combined their energy together, a large supernova launched at Vixiemon.

Somehow, with incredible speed of some sort, Vixiemon was picked up by Sora, the human managing to get out of the attack's range.

Vixiemon was slung over Sora's shoulder, watching the ultimate gain on them. Just as Orochimon bared their venomous fangs, Vixiemon's vision was flooded with pink light. She could feel her body compressing in upon itself, slowly growing smaller and smaller.

 _Of course! A data stream!_

* * *

A bone chilling breeze blew into the mouth of the small cave, causing the group of In-Training Digimon that were sheltering there to shudder.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here," Kokomon concluded through chattering teeth. Sh attempted to keep warm, huddling with a reluctant Yaamon.

"Tell anyone and you'll be dedigitized faster than you can say 'Deva.'" Yaamon threatened.

"Nobody's here." she said reassuringly.

Hopmon gazed at them sadly from the corner he was hiding in. He missed Ryo, a great deal.

Ryo was the only one who understood him. The two of them had been through a great deal. One he tried very hard to remember, however failed too. All he knew was that it brought him and Ryo closer than ever.

The In-Training Digimon shivered. None of the other Digimon accepted him. None of them could, or ever would.

The three of them had very luckily found the cave to take shelter in as the blizzard outside raged. Kokomon had insisted they come to this Digital Zone. Many Digimon would rather brave the elements than a predator larger attempting to hunt them. Hopmon would have much rather stayed behind and help from there, yet here he was. Despite what he wanted, he knew he couldn't, the needs of others pinned upon him. He knew the village was counting on him.

The sound of snow crunching echoed throughout the cave was deafening. They were not sure whether it was friend or foe. If the latter, they needed to be prepared.

"Hide!" hissed Kokomon.

Yaamon complied, he and Kokomon hopping towards the back of the cave where there was little light. Hopmon was already safe, shrouded in his own cavern shadows.

A hunched over hulking shadow trudged through the entrance of their shelter, dragging some sort of bulky object behind it.

Hopmon couldn't help but give a quiet whimper, frantic thoughts running through his head. This Digimon was here to devour his data. They would attack him again and again until he burst open like a pinata.

"F-fire," the creature whispered, their quiet words echoing throughout the cave. A small flickering ember became prominent in the room before flooding the cave with the light of a small gave a shake, removing the snow from their person.

As though they were drained of energy, the figure slumped to the ground, lifeless. Hopmon could see nothing but their shadows against the cave wall now. As though he were in a horror film, a small creature appeared to burst from the chest cavity of the larger creature.

He couldn't take anymore of the scene. Rather than remain hidden, he quickly hopped towards the back of the cave, hiding in a small crevice in the wall. Hopmon had no clue where Yaamon or Kokomon were. All he could do was hide in the dark; cold, alone, and terrified.

` Hopmon didn't know how much time had passed. Seconds, minutes hours; his mind was racing too fast for him to tell. All he knew was that he couldn't trust anyone. Even if he wanted to, he would never be accepted by anyone. He needed to survive, for Ryo's sake, the only person who ever understood him.

Despite his fears, he heard the strangest of sounds that resonated everywhere. Laughter. It had been ages since he had heard someone laugh.

"I'm so glad we found you," a familiar voice said gleefully. Hopmon recognized the speaker as Kokomon. When did she go past him? He had not noticed her go from the back of the cave to the mouth of it.

"Where are the others?" someone new asked. The pitch was different, but Hopmon recognized the voice somewhat.

 _Renamon?_ Had they found a few of their comrades at last?

This managed to convince Hopmon to slowly crawl from out of his crack in the wall and hop towards the voices.

"Guilmon had been attacked by some feral Frigimon, so we had no choice but to drag him and hopefully try to thaw him out," "Renamon" explained.

Hopmon finally saw their visitors. Just as everyone had said, there was Guilmon and Renamon. Renamon was currently in her In-Training form just like everyone else, however, Guilmon had somehow managed to Digivolve. Was Takato here?

With them surprisingly was a human. But it was not Takato. This human was much taller. They wore black short sleeved hoodie, as well as black baggy pants. The pants were lined with red pockets, golden sashes, and numerous zippers. Black fingerless gloves protected their hands, a silver crown necklace draping from their neck. Much like Ryo, the human had spiky brown hair and blue eyes.

"I didn't like being a popsicle," agreed Guilmon.

"I don't like pineapple popsicles either Pineapple Head," Yaamon sneered.

"Pineapple Head?" the human asked confusedly.

"This does not matter for the time being," Kokomon demanded politely, bringing the conversation back on track.

Vixiemon caught Hopmon's eyes, finally catching sight of him. "Hopmon you're here too?" she asked hesitantly.

Hopmon closed his eyes, his body shaking. If he couldn't see them, they couldn't see him. He could feel them staring at him, judging him.

"So, er, what are you all doing here?" Vixiemon asked, attempting to change the subject.

Hopmon could hear Kokomon clear her throat. "We're to look for any stray Digimon that have managed to keep control of their minds and bring them to the village."

"Village?" Vixiemon inquired.

"A safe haven for the survivors of the War of Chaos. Many Digimon have gone rampant, eager to become Megas again after Calumon had given them a taste. The Digital World has fallen apart, the D-Reaper having eaten large sections. The Sovereign doubt the Digital World will ever be what it once was. Us Digimon that have retained our self control are attempting to repair the damage to the Zones"

"Whatever is going on, I want to help, even if I don't understand it all," volunteered an unfamiliar voice. Hopmon assumed it was the human.

"There is no need for that, Sora," Vixiemon reassured. "We do not intend to stay. We must return to the human world."

"So how does a human get here huh?" Yaamon interrogated. "Ya have a way out of this dump?"

"I wish," Guilmon said sadly. "I miss Takato… and peanut butter."

"You and your stomach. We don't even need to eat on the Digital World REMEMBER?" Yaamon shouted.

The human, Sora, gasped. "We never needed food? That would've been nice to know. Me and Guilmon looked for food for ages in that desert!"

Hopmon couldn't take it anymore. He finally opened his eyes, only for his vision to be blurred, frigid tears streamed down his body and onto the ground. He didn't want food, he didn't want to go back to the village, he wanted Ryo!

The Digimon looked at each other nervously. Sora cocked his head. "What happened?" he asked.

Kokomon hopped towards him, as though to perhaps comfort him. However, Yaamon gave her a rough shove in the other direction. "Stay away from him. You really want him to hurt ya?"

This only caused Hopmon to cry harder, his wails increasing in volume and pitch.

"He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly." Sora stated.

"He is a bit….ruthless." Vixiemon explained, attempting to think of a proper word.

"He's a monster that will shred anything to pieces, including us!" Yaamon interjected.

"If he doesn't stop, I might cry too," Guilmon moaned sadly.

The human stood up and walked towards him, kneeling before him.

A hand reached out. The human was going to hurt him! He had to get out of there. Before it managed to touch him, Hopmon lunged away, continuing to cry against a wall.

"Leave him alone for now," Vixiemon said gently. "It's best we attempt to find a data stream and leave this Zone. I would've been frozen too if you hadn't stuffed me in your jacket,"

"We'll take you to the village," Kokomon suggested. "We'll need to report to the Sovereign that a human is here."

"Heh, I wouldn't mind seeing him get shredded to pieces." Yaamon laughed.

"Yeah," Sora huffed. "Well maybe I want to live!"

"Ya couldn't fight your way outta paper bag."

"At least I have LEGS!"

"That's it!" Yaamon exclaimed angrily. "You're going to wish-" The In-Training Digimon was caught off, Guilmon having picked him up.

"No more fighting." he whined. "I don't want to get frozen again."

"He has a point," agreed Kokomon. "Put this bickering aside so we can leave."

Through his wavering vision, Hopmon could see Yaamon and Sora turn their backs to each other, refusing to pay the other one attention. He gave a few sniffles here and there, attempting to calm himself down. There would be nobody to help him now.

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **Togemon**

 **Orochimon**

 **Kingdom Hearts**

 **No new Characters**

* * *

So yeah, the new schedule will hopefully be me posting a new chapter every two weeks. Every other Friday to be exact. Part of the reason I have to take so long with these chapters is because before I started this, I had a few of these chapters written out already. However, due to computer malfunctions, the files became corrupted. So not only have I been having to write new chapters, but I've also been having to rewrite old ones as well. I was originally going to have this whole big adventure, but I didn't want this prologue project to be too long. So these three points of view in this chapter were originally each their own chapter, but I just don't have the time to fix them, so I smooshed them together. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope the new schedule will be adequate. Read, Relax, and Enjoy!


	10. Sanctuary

This is my longest chapter at 6000 plus words. I hope you enjoy. Furno, I greatly appreciate your comments! I have a lot of this planned, such as what Digimon everyone will get. But I have taken a few of your suggestions to heart. Expect something in the future. Read, Relax, and Enjoy!

* * *

As the pink beam of virtual energy hit the surface, the group tumbled to the ground. Everybody was exhausted, as instantaneous travel really does a number on your energy. Sora gazed at his surroundings, not at all caring if he was lying on a bed of hard pebbles. They were in a ravine of some sorts. Small stunted trees with twisted trunks littered the canyon. The fissure extended for miles without end. An expanse of bright blue sky showed little clouds and suggested major heat.

Vixiemon got up and shook the dust off her coat, showering everyone else with it. "Hey," exclaimed Sora. She fluffed her tail out and glanced around, nervously blushing with embarrassment. Kokomon gave a short giggle and drifted in front of Sora.

"This is the way to the camp, I'm sure of it. If we start walking now, we can be there before nightfall." Kokomon sounded confident, so everybody got into a single file line and began to hike along the expansive canyon.

It was a while before everybody decided to call a break. Sora fell to his knees, grateful for the rest stop. He and Guilmon had to carry some of the more exhausted Digimon, including Hopmon. As Hopmon had no legs, the trek had caused some problems for the young In- Training. Despite the tension between boy and Digimon, Sora had obligingly carried Hopmon. An eerie silence had befallen the entire party, everybody mulling over their own thoughts.

Sora wandered over to a nearby puddle and began to gulp down some water, quenching his thirst. Guilmon trotted over and dunked his head in the shallow water source. He resurfaced with a grin on his face. "I feel better now," he exclaimed, clearly enjoying the water.

Sora smiled and began to gaze at the sky. His thoughts flickered to those of his friends, the ones he had unwillingly left on the islands. _Riku. Kairi. I may be gone for a while, I don't know how long. But I promise, I will find you._ Sora walked over to his traveling companions. "If everybody's feeling better, can we get a move on?"

Kokomon nodded. "You see that sharp bend up ahead? Around that corner is the base camp." She glanced back towards the group. "After we rest up at the village, I'll take you to see the Sovereign."

Suddenly the sky grew dark; a huge black shadow was crossing the sky covering the Digital World. The sun was swallowed, only to be replaced by the moon. Stars slowly twinkled into existence.

Sora gazed at the sky, his jaw wide open. The rest of the party appeared unfazed. "What happened to the sky? Where was the sunset?" questioned Sora, a confused look on his face.

"Sora, you've got to remember, the real world is different from the Digital World. In this world, night and day are instantaneous. You've never noticed this because you always fall asleep pretty early" explained Vixiemon. Sora nodded in understanding.

As everybody rounded the corner, our band of heroes were swarmed with Digimon, all different shapes and sizes. For example, there was what looked like a big purple mole. Its claws and nose were actual drills. 6 wispy whiskers were plastered onto the Digimon's face.

Next to the mole was a green humanoid figure. It wore leather garments, which complimented the large wooden club it carried in one hand. A wild red mohawk sprouted from its nearly bald head making the Digimon look quite rowdy.

"Goblimon and Drimogemon," Vixiemon muttered. She glanced warily at both types of Digimon trying to decide what to do. As Renamon, she'd had a bad experience with a Goblimon. Sora put his hand on her head.

"Do not hurt them," Kokomon piped up. "They're just trying to protect the village."

"Don't worry, I've got this," Sora stated confidently.

"I hope you're right"

Sora strolled up to the Digimon a smile on his face. "Excuse me? My friends were wondering if they could enter the city. We would love to help in any way we can."

Each Digimon looked at each other in surprise. They'd never see a human before and didn't know how to handle it. A single Drimogemon nodded his head towards the gate, a gesture to allow them into the city. "The Sovereign was expecting a human child" he muttered to his fellows. Each Digimon retreated a fair distance and began to work on their respective tasks before they had been interrupted.

The Drimogemon who had allowed them access to the city had stayed behind. He walked over to the party. "I have duties to attend to. I shall have one of the other Champions be your guide. Once the tour is over, you shall meet with the Sovereign." Sora nodded in understanding.

Kokomon sighed in relief. "I am grateful that our mission is finally over. Though we did not find anyone other than you guys, it looks like the population of Digimon has increased bit by bit." She glanced up ahead. " I assume those are our tour guides."

They had not one, but two tour guides. One looked like a kind of cartoonish dog. It was yellow with blue ears. A blue D was emblazoned on its chest like that of a superhero.

The second Digimon looked like a beautiful swan. With a graceful long neck, the white and purple feathers looked like a petticoat. An elegant choker with two golden wings was worn on the slender neck. A dainty head and a narrow beak made the Digimon look like a fashion model.

As the two Digimon were walking over, they suddenly froze. A delighted look crossed their faces as they began to charge towards the group. Sora looked back at his companions. "Do any of you know them?" Everyone shook their head.

Just when Sora was about to turn around, he got knocked back by the two incoming projectiles. "Sora!" exclaimed the swan, with a raspy voice. The dog would not stop hugging him, like one of those grandmas who just _have_ to pinch your cheeks. An idea suddenly formed within his mind.

"Donald? Goofy? Is that you?" Both creatures nodded glad to finally be recognized. Sora pulled both of his friends into one great big grizzly hug, tears streaming down his face. "What happened to you guys? How are you here? Why are you Digimon?"

Donald shook his head. "I don't know but we weren't expecting to see you." He hugged Sora fiercely. "We woke up one day like this. The village found us, and brought here. We've been here for about two months, repairing the village." Goofy nodded being strangely silent.

"Why isn't Goofy talking?" asked Sora, concerned for his friend.

Donald side glanced at Goofy. "When he became a Doggymon, he lost the ability to speak."

Goofy sadly nodded, but still kept hugging to Sora. Sora hugged back feeling as empathetic as ever.

"Anyway" continued Donald, "the Sovereign want to see you. If you'll follow us we'll guide you." The Digimon all stood up ready to meet the Sovereign once again. "Just _Sora_ that is."

Sora waved to his buddies. "Don't worry, I'll be out in a flash." He gave the group a confident smile. _I wish I felt as confident as I looked._ The Sovereign was supposedly the most powerful Digimon in the Digital world, Sora didn't want to get on his bad side.

Donald brushed his feathers up against Sora. "This way," he quacked, leading the way. They walked through a dimly lit alley way surrounded by poorly built wooden huts. Many small In-Trainings cowered as the trio walked past, diving for cover in the shambles of their shelter.

A deep sadness overcame Sora. Before this "War of Chaos" the Digital World must've been a thriving place. Now it was overcome with poverty and battle scars. Though they were different creatures, this was no way to live, even in human standards. He desperately wanted to help the settlement as much as he could, however he had his own mission to complete.

Picking up the pace Sora and friends arrived in what looked like some very old ruins. Many bricks were missing and the foundation of the building was slightly towards the left. It was a dusty brown, the color having faded a long time ago. Climbing up a vast mountain of stairs, Sora's mouth dropped.

There was not _one_ Digimon Sovereign but _four_ of them. The closest colossal Digimon resembled a turtle. A massive tree grew from the shell of this mighty beast. It had two heads each with a thick beige neck. Twelve tan spheres surrounded Digimon's body.

To the right of the turtle was an immense blue dragon. At first glance its elongated body seemed solid but looking rather closely it looked transparent, as though it were made of energy. Thick chains encased the body as though it was for its own good. Around each of its powerful legs were three blue orbs. A deep blue mask with yellow highlights shielded it massive head. Long white wispy locks of hair fell from its chin creating a massive beard.

A beautiful white tiger was talking right now. Its slender body was marked with bold purple stripes, vicious black spikes rolling down its back. Two heavy duty ankle cuffs were worn on the hind legs, as well as the tail. The same twelve tan spheres surrounded the tiger's waist. A delicate purple mask was plastered onto its face. Two purple vambraces were on its forelimbs with some sort of writing.

The last of the Sovereign looked like a phoenix. Eight magnificent wings were folded up against its massive body as it stood on two powerful legs. A tail, not unlike that of a dinosaur's, was curled around is feet. 6 orbs each were around the tail and the neck of the glorious phoenix. Four beady eyes stared at them as though accusing them for an unforeseen crime.

"Why is this piece of human filth standing in the conference room? Why has it trespassed into the Digital World at all! I thought we were done with this forsaken business with that infernal human world?"

The blue dragon sighed. "Calm down Zhuquaimon, there must be a reasonable explanation for this." He crossed over towards Sora. "Child you seem older than the Tamers that came here long ago. What brings you to the Digital World?"

Sora put his hands on the back of his head. "Actually a couple Digimon in the Village below said you were expecting me. They had told me to meet you here."

Zhuquiamon exchanged a look with the dragon. "We did not summon you puny mortal. You have no right to come in here in interrupt this meeting!" He threw a look of pure loathing at Sora. "Humans, think you can put your noses into our business whenever you want. Well now it is time-"

The white tiger stepped forward. "Stop this insolence Zhuquiamon. I am the one who summoned the human here. We are in need of help and this human is different than most. He has saved the universe twice and it is he who holds the key to our survival. Azulongmon, it is as I feared. My visions have begun to come true. We must reunite the Tamer Digimon as well as the boy and send them to the realm of humans."

Azulongmon shook his head sadly. "Alas I was afraid of this. Ebonwumon, you are the eldest and wisest of us all, what have you sensed?"

Ebonwumon, the turtle shook both of his heads. "I have seen nothing." The head on the left spoke. "Yup yup we have seen nothing. Our vision is clouded." "Clouded" repeated the right head.

Zhuqiamon sat there, appalled. "Baihumon, do you not think we cannot care for ourselves? That we need the help of HUMANS to protect what has been rightfully ours for eons?"

Baihumon stared at the ground. "Zhuquiamon. I am the strongest of the Soveriegn, you know this. If I know I cannot defeat the enemy then we are in _dire_ need of help. That is why I have called this human, Sora."

Azulongmon eyed Sora critically. "Baihumon, you say he is powerful. That he saved the universe twice. What makes this boy so special?"

Baihumon gazed at his fellow Sovereign equally. "Besides the fact that this boy possesses a weapon that is even older than us, that he would sacrifice himself for the greater good to end the darkness, this boy has saved the worlds more than once. He defends the light, guarding it with every fiber of his fragile human body. The light we need to vanquish the ongoing darkness of this endless war."

The room had grown quiet. Sora glanced around the room glad that the Sovereign were done squabbling. Right now he just wanted to get back to the village to help those poor Digimon. The looks they had given him as he strode right on by urged him to lend assistance.

Baihumon slowly walked towards Sora growing bigger as he neared. "We wish to debate right now. If you will wait in the village until then we shall figure out what to do."

Sora turned around to walk away only to stop mid-turn. "Baihumon, you're the one who's been contacting me, right? You summoned me to the Digital World, telling me that you needed my help. That was you, correct?"

"Yes Sora, it was me. I am far from the wisest of us, however once I had sensed your presence, I had known you were meant for something. After that I kept an eye on you, watching as you progressed. You are the first Keyblade Wielder this world has seen in many centuries. You seem inexperienced as none have guided you. From what I've learned in the past, Keyblade wielders were not meant to simply protect the light. They were meant to keep balance not succumbing to darkness _or_ light. You must remember this. You are the only hope the Digital World has."

Sora nodded. "Thank you, Baihumon." He turned and walked out of the ruins. Donald and Goofy were waiting at the bottom of the steps. Sora let out a sigh of relief. Interrogating Baihumon was probably not one of his best moves. With the Sovereign breathing down his neck, one wrong move and there goes his chance to help his friends.

"How did it go?" Donald quacked curiously. He was chewing on some of his feathers, no doubt nervous.

"They didn't seem too interested in me. They were mainly arguing about some visions of some sort, and me of course. Surprisingly, they knew of the Keyblade." Not all worlds, but in some worlds, there were people who had certain knowledge of the Keyblade. Like for example, Leon one of his friends, or King Triton, king of the sea. "Anyway, can you take me to the Digimon I was with earlier?"

Goofy nodded taking lead, but not before giving Sora another hug. Donald took the rear, making sure Sora didn't lag behind and get lost. They traveled in silence occasionally looking at a specific building or comforting the frightened Digimon.

As they neared the lake, Sora's previous party were surrounding two different Digimon. One was a small plump white had large white ears with purple fringe. Some sort of complicated design was upon its forehead, three black triangles surrounded a large red triangle. Cheerful green eyes blinked up at him expectantly.

The other Digimon looked like a raccoon wearing a Viking helmet. It had a short, bushy, ringed, tail curled around its round body.

Guilmon stuck his head in the air and gave a loud bout of laughter. "Sora, we found more of my friends. These are Calumon and Kapurimon."

Calumon glanced at Sora suspiciously. "You're not Jeri." Despite the disappointment in his eyes, his voice suddenly became bright and happy again. "Do want to play?" Sora nodded.

Vixiemon stifled a sigh. "I'll explain later Calumon, right now we should just be glad we found you and Kapurimon. Now all we need are Terriermon and MarineAngemon and everybody will be accounted for." She turned to Sora. "What did the Sovereign say?"

"Right now we're just waiting for them to debate, and they never said for how long. I'm not sure how tired you guys are, but I'm going to help this village. There's so much sadness here, it's unbearable."

Kokomon nodded. "We were just about to go find the Megas before Calumon and Kapurimon showed up. As you recall, the Megas are in charge of keeping the order in the village. If we go to them, they can give us work to do."

Everybody in the group agreed. Donald took point as he knew the most common location for the Megas to be at. Sora noticed Hopmon was slowly lagging behind, farther and farther away every time he looked. Finally he walked to the end of the line and stooped over. "Come here Hopmon, you look tired. Don't worry I don't bite."

The little Digimon looked at the ground, shuddering with fear. Slowly, Sora touched the Digimon and began to gently pick it up. "See I'm not going to attack you. If I did, I'm pretty sure you would beat me up, so there's no need to be afraid, okay?"

For the first time, ever, Hopmon began to smile. He made a gentle laughter and snuggled closer to Sora, eventually falling asleep. _There is no way he is ruthless. Everybody has light in them, if you know where to look._ Glancing ahead, the single file had come to a halt.

Four powerful looking Digimon were conversing silently. The first one was a jumbled assortment of different animals. The back half of the Digimon looked like a tiger, while the front half looked like a vulture. Two razor sharp talons were the fore legs, and the back legs were two powerful paws. A snake head was attached to the end of the tiger's tail. Two leathery bat wings sprouted from the shoulders enabling the creature to fly. A titanium helmet covered its face protecting its fragile head.

Surprisingly, one of the Digimon looked like a lion. Or, if a lion and a tiger had come together that is. The Digimon in question had a beautiful golden coat, slender orange stripes decorating it. A large mane fringed its face, the flesh fanning out, making the head look like a sunflower. Orange tipped the mane making it look exotic. Two overgrown incisor teeth draped over its fanged mouth, as though it were a _saber tooth_ tiger. Two bright blue eyes gazed thoughtfully at the other Megas indecisively.

An enormous rhinoceros beetle clad in purple armor gently hovered off the ground, 16 insect wings keeping it aloft. On each oversized hand were three gleaming claws for grasping, as well as a pair of heavy duty pincer on each wrist. A glowing red core, in the Digimon's abdomen glared menacingly. Two thick cables hung loosely on the ground, each barbed with a small mace head. A stinger like that of a scorpion curved at the end of its tail.

Last but not least was a fierce draconic looking warrior. Wearing thick yellow armor, the general was brandishing a scary looking claymore. A golden V was displayed on the champion's forehead, as well as a red horn. Bright orange skin rippled over the intense mass of muscle. Red knee guards protected the Digimon's legs from harm. Folded up against its back were what appeared to be wings. An enormous claymore was strapped to its back as well. It stood proudly, quietly whispering in a grave tone.

The Digivice began to create quite a lot of noise. Sora pulled it out and gasped in awe. The lion magnificently appeared on the screen.

 **SaberLeomon**

 **Attribute: Data**

 **Level: Mega**

 **Moves: Howling Crusher**

 **Twin Fang**

Kokomon gazed up rather meekly. "Excuse me, um… S-SaberLeomon?"

The great beast turned his head and looked down. He looked slightly relieved. "Ah Kokomon. You have returned. Was your mission successful? Have you found any more stray Digimon Not to mention enemy Digimon?" The bombard of questions seemed to have thrown Kokomon slightly off kilter.

"Um, well you see," Kokomon paused unable to think of anything to say.

Sora jumped to her rescue. "SaberLeomon, Kokomon here did a great job. She found more of her friends and me as well. She has returned from her mission and all of the Digimon here would like to help even more. We want to help rebuild the village."

All four Megas glanced uncertainly at each other. They huddled together and conferred in private. Several minutes later they pulled apart. SaberLeomon stepped forward. "Only the human and the odd red Digimon may help."

Vixiemon leaped forward, her eyes blazing rebelliously. "Must the rest of us sit and do _nothing!"_ She defiantly glared at the Megas not even considering the fact that they could easily strike her down. The other In-Trainings argued vigorously, supporting Vixiemon as their spokesman.

The large purple beetle scoffed at them. "You must be new if you do not even know the rules of this encampment. Everything _below_ the level Rookie must train in intense conditions. I knew they were weak, however Gryphonmon, I didn't know they were as incompetent as this."

Gryphonmon sighed and rolled its eyes. "TyrantKabuterimon, we've been over this, yes we know you are the strongest one here, but that does not put you in charge! Do not call them weak, we need as much help as we can possibly get. The more Digimon we have, the faster we can all leave this pitiful place. Even SaberLeomon and VictoryGreymon agree with me. Besides the Sovereign have something special planned for them"

Yaamon spat on the ground. "Hey, beetle brain, listen and listen up real good. We may be small, we may be stupid talking heads, but we can still give you a good butt whooping."

TyrantKabuterimon gave a loud roar. "How dare you speak to me like that that you little Numemon slime!" He took to the air in two mighty wing beats immediately getting into battle position.

VictoryGreymon unsheathed its enormous broadsword and placed it between the two Digimon. "Stop this petty fight. TyrantKabuterimon, will you allow yourself to be chided by these mere insults? Young In-Training Digimon I know it is hard to sit back and do nothing as your fellows around you are suffering, however, for now the best thing you can do is train to the limit. With your training, you will eventually Digivolve. Then, you may help in the rebuilding of the Digital world."

Sora smiled encouragingly at his friends. "Don't worry guys, before you know it you'll be in your …err Rookie form right? Until then, Guilmon and I will work twice as hard until you guys are ready to help."

Vixiemon gave an approving nod. "You're learning your Digimon facts well." She gave a long defeated sigh. "Let's go team, time to train."

Goofy led the small Digimon to the training course, leaving Donald, Sora, Guilmon, and the Megas.

SaberLeomon gave a growl. "You, Swanmon, show the human and this Rookie the supply shed. You may begin to help by repairing the buildings. The lesser Digimon will need shelter as they are too weak to help."

Sora bristled at the comment but held his tongue. If he remembered correctly, Megas were the highest on the Digimon scale. Sora didn't like how these Digimon treated his friends, however, he did not want to get on their bad side. Right now with a secret identity to keep and no magic at his disposal, Sora was basically defenseless.

He let out a sigh, something everyone seemed to be doing. Sora had got what he had wanted, to help the Digital World, but at what cost?

* * *

Sora gently put his wooden plank down and wiped off the sweat from his forehead. It has been three long weeks since Sora had begun to help the village. The village had slowly risen from the ground up. Many new houses had been built for the many In-Training and Fresh Digimon. All the Digimon seemed to finally have something to smile about as they had a place to sleep after a long day of training.

Vixiemon, Kokomon and everybody else came running up to Sora as he finished off the house he was building on. A few days earlier, the Sovereign had used some of their power to teleport the rest of Guilmon's friends to the village. Everybody had been overjoyed to see Gummymon and MarineAngemon. Since the Sovereign had teleported those two across the entire Digital World, they were currently resting.

Gummymon looked like an exact replica of Kokomon. However, despite the fact he was green, Gummymon lacked two horns, and it only had one.

MarineAngemon was very small. Sora did not quite believe Vixiemon when she told him that MarineAngemon was a Mega. MarineAngemon was only about as big as a dodge ball. He was bright neon pink with a pair of feathery wings. A large red heart was portrayed on its chest. MarineAngemon had two bright green eyes that seemed to always be full of love and compassion. Two antennae were perched on his head, staying alert.

Gummymon gave a whistle. "Not bad workmanship. Although it needs some carpet, some windows, maybe a T.V. And not to mention a refrigerator."

Kokomon gave a groan. "Gummymon," she warned.

Gummymon smiled "Momentai!"

Sora gave a bout of laughter. "I'll be sure to add that soon Gummymon." It was comforting to know he had friends who could make him giggle now and then. It may have only been a few weeks, but Sora was feeling more homesick than ever. He missed the way the sand rolled on the shore, the salty sea air, and the small fish he would occasionally catch. But most of all he missed his friends and family. Riku and Kairi were probably worried sick about him. In their eyes he could be dead, they didn't know what had happened to him. His parents were beyond grief. To them he had been missing for _three years._ They were heartbroken, it felt like he would never see them again.

Sora mentally sighed. He forced a happy smile and tried to ignore the emptiness in his heart. If any of his new friends noticed he was sad they would ask what was wrong, and then, there would be questions. For their sake, he wanted to avoid that difficult subject. He could try to talk to Donald or Goofy about it, but they were too tired at the end of a long day of building, to be bothered. Considering they were Champions, they were given harder tasks to work on.

Guilmon despite being tired, crashed into Sora. "Soramon, we go play now?" Pleading eyes glanced innocently up at him.

"Sure Guilmon." Sora eyed the rest of the Digimon. "Alrighty guys, who wants to play tag?"

Apart from Vixiemon, Yaamon, Donald, Goofy, and Kapurimon, everybody decided to join.

Sora tapped Calumon before sprinting far away, not inhumanly fast, just fast enough as though he were a part of a track team.

Calumon gave a delighted squeal. "Yay I'm it, I'm it! I'm gonna catch you Guilmon!" he cried as he nearly tagged Guilmon on the tip of his tail. Calumon expanded his ears and swooped towards Hopmon, successfully reaching his target.

The little purple Digimon's eyes lit up as he was given the power of "it". Hopmon bounded into MarineAngemon's direction. MarineAngemon not knowing the rules just stood there utterly confused.

Gummymon laughed, rolling on the ground. "MarineAngemon, you're supposed to run away from whoever is 'it'".

MarineAngemon simply cocked his head, poked Gummymon, and floated away. He drifted towards the nonparticipating Digimon and decided to take a nap.

For once, Gummymon was speechless. Suddenly he shook his head, muttered "Momentai" and began to resume playing the game.

Sora watched comfortably from under the shade of a lonely tree as the Digimon ran back and forth across the field. The sun was shining, there was a pleasant breeze, a quaint pond nearby. Yet, something seemed off. Was his heart bringing up old pain again?

He shook his heartache off and began to focus his senses. A nervous type of energy seemed to be crackling along his spine, rushing to his fingertips. Sora looked up into the sky to unsurprisingly see, Azulongmon.

The great blue dragon circled Sora, coming closer with each sweep. "You have sensed it too, have you not?"

Sora nodded, a worried look crossing his face. He could only hope his gut was overreacting. Heartless was the last thing this broken world needed. "We need to get the Digimon to safety."

Azulongmon raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Finally he sighed. "Baihumon was correct to have summoned you, Zhuquiamon however, still disagrees. Now is not the time to argue though. You are to gather the Tamer Digimon and take them to the temple."

Sora nodded urgently. Their game of tag would have to wait. The Digimon would have no idea how to defend themselves. Sure, they could fight, but the Heartless would eventually regenerate and come back stronger. The Keyblade was the only weapon that could banish them permanently. Right now he had to evacuate his friends and get them to safety.

He stood up and sprinted for his companions. Right now, if he squinted his eyes and looked at the horizon, Sora could see a large black cloud. A large black cloud, which meant hundreds of thousands of Heartless that would decimate this world.

* * *

Guilmon laughed as Kokomon and Gummymon were wrestling on the ground with each other. They had started to argue over who was stronger and had ended up rolling into a pile of weeds.

Yaamon snorted, "If you two are done spinning around like a pair of pinwheels, we should get inside." He looked to the sky to see a dark fearsome looking cloud covering the sun, a storm was coming.

A growl began to build up in Guilmon's throat. He had never liked storms. The thunder scared him, and he always felt so alone. Luckily he had his friends so it wouldn't be too bad. All he was missing was Takato and some bread with peanut butter filling. Mmmmm Guilmon bread.

A soft punch had knocked Guilmon to the ground. Yaamon had tackled Guilmon. "Impmon, what was that for?" His growl had turned to a soft whine, a tear falling from his face.

"Pineapplehead, everybody else is in the temple, what are you doing just sitting here, staring into nothing?!"

"I want peanut butter! I want Takatomon! I want to go home!" The red dino was now bawling his eyes out. He sunk to the ground, an utterly pathetic wreck.

Yaamon glanced at Guilmon, his face softening for only a minute. His voice was only a whisper. "Pineapplehead, you're not the only one who misses all that stuff. We all miss our partners and our luxuries. Terriermon and his sugar, Kokomon and her dress up junk, Kapurimon and his really stupid jokes, Calumon and his creampuffs. But we've all had to deal with it and you do too! So get up, stop crying like the baby you are, and get into the temple. Cocoapuff will probably already be there."

Guilmon nodded and started to shuffle himself to the old temple the Sovereign had resided in. Yaamon hopped onto Guilmon's back glad to not have to hop around for once. As they entered the temple that was slowly falling apart, they noticed it was quite empty. Besides the other In-Training Digimon, the Sovereign were nowhere to be seen.

Vixiemon appeared quite frazzled. "Oh thank goodness Guilmon. Where is Sora?" Guilmon surveyed the room, the brown haired boy was nowhere in sight.

Guilmon began to dash out of the room, only to be stopped by VictoryGreymon. "Uh uh. We have very strict orders to keep you in this building. Nobody gets in or out but the Sovereign themselves."

Guilmon sighed. Not only was Sora missing, but the building was on lockdown. Sure Guilmon was tough, but there was no way he could take on a Mega, let alone four of them. But that couldn't stop him from trying.

"Pyro Sphere!" A red ball of energy leaped from Guilmon's mouth and veered towards the massive Digimon. VictoryGreymon easily sliced it in half with his broadsword. He pummeled Guilmon with the flat side of his blade, sending the red dinosaur flying. Guilmon hit the wall, knocked out cold.

* * *

Sora grimaced, the plan had felt a lot better in his head. He groaned as he sliced another Shadow Heartless in half. The horde was upon him. His already battered body was covered in cuts he could not believe. Azulongmon, having alerted his fellows, brought them as reinforcements. The Sovereign were majestically doing their best to aid him.

 _Man, being in battle with no magic sucks!_ No cure spell to heal himself with, no destruction magic to fry or freeze the enemy with, and fate just loved to mess with his head.

Donald and Goofy had attempted to help him at first, but Sora didn't want them to deplete their energy, so he sent them back to the temple. Without their weapons and limited magic, his friends wouldn't have been able to help much. Sora jumped into the air as Ebonwumon unleashed a mighty earthquake, slaying a large wave of Large Bodys. A squadron of wyverns were struck down by a large thunderbolt from Azulongmon.

A Behemoth rose on its hind legs and trampled the ground. Sora, not reacting in time had a two ton hoof on his back. Zhuqiamon tackled the Behemoth and disappeared in the war zone. Sora's chest felt as though it were on fire. His left hand fell to his side, utterly useless, probably broken. His head throbbed at the world, a dizzy mess. He focused his gaze on his working hand, his vision slightly improving.

Sora could tell the Sovereign were low on energy. Zhuqiamon didn't even bother to complain about how weak he was. Working the wheels in his brain as he slew many Heartless, Sora finally figured out a plan. "Baihumon!"

The snow white tiger bounded towards Sora, stomping on Heartless in the process. He unleashed a powerful roar that made a large group of Heartless dissipate. "What is the meaning of this? There is a battle to be fought, we must defend the village!"

"I've just come up with a plan. Vixiemon once told me, that a Tamer and their Digimon formed an unbreakable connection. Once the connection is acquired the Digimon will get stronger through that bond. Considering there are 9 Tamer Digimon, that'll mean we'll have 9 powerful Digimon on our side. I want you and the other Sovereign to send them back to their Tamers."

Baihumon roared, his eyes blazing. "Just because the Tamers saved the Digital World once does not mean they have to save it every time there is a problem. We are the Sovereign! We are the most powerful Digimon in the Digital World, we are not helpless Fresh Digimon. Anyway, Calumon cannot Digivolve, so there would only be 8. Eight Megas could not save the Digital World. Besides, a teleportation spell requires a lot of energy, not the amount the Sovereign have right now. We have no way to gather enough energy and protect the Digital World from the Heartless at the same time. Unless…" His gaze grew thoughtful.

"Do you see these orbs that surround my body? These are DigiCores. Every Digimon has one DigiCore which is basically their "soul" in your human terms. Since I am a Sovereign I have 12 of them. This is not a decision to take lightly, but if I were to sacrifice one of my cores…" Baihumon began to mutter to himself as he faced wave after wave of Heartless.

Suddenly a cloak of light covered Baihumon. Sora swore he could hear a shattering sound as the light engulfed the battle field. Sora bathed in the warmth as he lost consciousness. The last thing he remembered was the sad look Baihumon had given him

* * *

Digimon

Gryphonmon

SaberLeomon

TyrantKabuterimon

VictoryGreymon

Zhuqiamon

Baihumon

Ebonwumon

Azulongmon

Orochimon

Goblimon

Drimogimon


	11. Home is Where the Heart is

A cool afternoon breeze fluttered through the room, causing the window blinds to faintly knock against the windows. The windchime on the porch released pleasant music, soothing the complicated atmosphere.

Rika simply stared at Renamon, jaw agape. She knew Renamon had only told the important parts of the story, yet she could simply not believe it all. Cyberdramon didn't really say much, but the fact he spoke about any of this at all meant he clearly was affected by those events.

"That certainly takes the cake," a grim voice stated.

Rika looked around wildly, her eyes landing on the speaker.

"And what are you doing here?"

Ryo stepped out from the shadows. "Renamon had called me here as well you know." He gave Cyberdramon some affectionate scratches behind his ears despite the menacing growls his partner produced. "Something I want to know is why only tell us? Everyone else deserves the right to know this."

Renamon nodded. "Yes. We know." The Rookie's tail swished back and forth agitatedly. "It was never the correct time to talk about what had happened to us. We had to focus on keeping you safe."

The door to Rika's room slid open. Her grandmother stood in the doorway, a large smile on her face. "Rika, Renamon, time for lunch," She caught sight of Ryo and Cyberdramon. "Oh my, I wasn't expecting guests."

Rika rolled her eyes. "They were just leaving Grandma."

Grandma shook her head. "Nonsense! I made plenty, they can stay for lunch. I'll go put the kettle on." She gave Ryo a smile. "Make yourself at home dears." With that she left, shutting the door behind her.

Rika and Ryo were left alone with awkward silence. The interruption had broken their train of thought. Sure it broke the tension, but Rika just felt even more puzzled and confused.

However, Renamon easily solved this by speaking aloud her thoughts. "We must find Sora." Her normally narrow concentrated eyes softened for a moment. "We need to thank him. For everything. He's been through too much; deserts, blizzards, rampaging Digimon, injuries. He saved all of us yet again when that Digimon nearly deleted us. "

"Of course we need to try and find him. I'm not saying we shouldn't." Ryo agreed. "But there's no way we can. Not with the hospital keeping his records locked up."

Cyberdramon gave a savage growl. The Ultimate suddenly swung out one of his claws, easily pinning Ryo to the wall.

"C-calm down Cyberdramon," Ryo ordered, struggling against the clawed hand of his partner.

His partner did no such thing. The dragon Digimon leaned in close, his snout mere inches away from Ryo's face.

"We WILL find him," Cyberdramon growled, pure rage evident in his rarely used voice.

Rika stared in awe as Ryo calmly stood there. His Digimon was one wrong comment from attacking him, and he wasn't so much as flinching. _This is how his partner treats him? Cyberdramon is a ticking time bomb!_

Slowly, Cyberdramon lifted his claw away. Despite having calmed down, it was still trembling, as though as if Cyberdramon were having to fight his instincts? Perhaps the ability to harm was too deeply ingrained into him.

Ryo inhaled deeply, his hands behind his head. "So," he asked, turning to her with a smile. "How about that lunch?"

Rika simply nodded. "Um yeah, sure." She led him and the two Digimon into the dining room where her grandma was currently setting the table.

"Glad to have you here," Rika's grandma smiled. She gestured towards the table. "Have a seat, lunch will be out shortly."

Rika and Ryo sat down onto the plush cushions in front of the table, their Digimon doing the same on the other side.

Her grandmother returned with a hot kettle, pouring their tea into the mugs already set. "I hope you like chamomile. It tends to help calm a situation," she explained, a knowing look in her eye.

Rika and Renamon both pressed their hands together and gave a small bow, picking up their mugs to take a sip.

Ryo looked a bit confused before shrugging his shoulders, then copying them. Cyberdramon simply gave a snort, grasped at the cup and gulped down the tea in a single swallow. Rika watched in amusement as Ryo politely put his own mug down, having some difficulty swallowing.

"May I have some water please?" he asked.

Rika's grandma gave a heartfelt chuckle. "Not a tea lover I see,"

"I had never had tea before, decided to give it a shot."

The elderly woman left, leaving them alone once again. Rika really hated awkward silences, although, she supposed she enjoyed them more than people who just wouldn't stop talking. Kazu and Takato came to mind.

"So, how do we begin with this?" Ryo asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Begin what?" she asked, confused. _What's he plotting now?_

Ryo side glanced at his partner from across the table before speaking. "Finding Sora,"

Rika wracked her brain, trying to think of something. However, nothing came to mind.

"Perhaps we can Digivolve and attempt to track him," Renamon suggested, her mind clearly wandering back to the time she had attempted to find him.

Rika knew her partner was trying to be positive, but they both knew if he was to be tracked, his scent was long gone.

Ryo had another idea. "We should ask around, someone will have had to see him somewhere."

Cyberdramon gave a loud growl, snapping at the air in frustration.

"If you want to find someone, then the easiest way is to do nothing," Rika's grandma stated, reappearing in the room with a glass of water and numerous bowls.

Renamon stood up, attempting to help her, but she waved her hand dismissively as she gave Ryo his water.

"I hope you like chicken curry." Rika eagerly began to eat at her portion, grateful not to have another tense moment with Cyberdramon.

Ryo on the other hand took another cautious bite. His face lit up immediately. "This is delicious. You're an excellent chef," he praised, putting another bite into his mouth.

"You don't travel the world and become a renown chef for nothing," she crowed.

"So," Ryo began in between mouthfuls, "What did you mean by doing nothing?"

"When something or someone does not wish to be found, you will never find them." Rika's grandma returned to sipping at her tea. "If you simply bide your time, being productive and improving yourself, you'll stumble upon them eventually. That's how I applied to become executive chef at Gounichi's."

"That's amazing," Ryo gasped in awe. "Gounichi's is one of the highest rated restaurants in all of Japan!"

"It wouldn't be that way if I had gone charging ahead recklessly now would it?" her grandma winked. "I'm sure if you just wait, you'll find your friend in no time."

"Thanks grandma," Rika thanked. _Finally! Even if it's just waiting around, at least Renamon looks hopeful again._ "You always have the best of advice."

"Old people tend to," she replied with a hearty laugh. A thought seemed to occur to her. "Oh! I'll be right back." With that, she left the room again.

Rika watched her go before returning her gaze to the table. Cyberdramon had not touched his curry, Ryo eyeing it like a starving puppy.

The Ultimate gave it a powerful shove across the table, the bowl colliding with Ryo's chest and fall into his lap. "Take it if you must," he snarled. Despite the tension his partner was feeling, Ryo happily munched on the curry.

Renamon's gaze was distant, her mind clearly at work, looking for a solution. "Perhaps it is time to relax after all," she said unexpectedly.

"Renamon?" Rika asked.

"We all missed two years of your lives. Yes, there is school, but this will be our chance to catch up what we have missed." She locked eyes with her, looking quite serious. "We're never leaving again, not if we can help it."

Despite the obvious meaning, Rika suspected this was also an apology for the incident when Renamon had run off. She nodded.

"I know we've said this a lot already," Ryo began, "But I'm so happy everyone is back. It's hard to believe sometimes." He set the second empty bowl before him on the table before sipping his water.

"Likewise," Renamon agreed.

Rika's grandmother reappeared, a plate in hand. "Glad to see everyone is in a better mood. Food is a great problem solver, I should know." She walked towards the table and placed the plate. "I bought these from the Matsuki bakery yesterday, I just couldn't resist." She wore an impish smile.

Sitting on the plate were an arrangement of cookies. Each had yellow and white frosting, the cookies cut in an all too familiar shape.

"Is this-" Renamon grabbed a cookie and held it close. "-my face?"

Ryo laughed rather outrageously, clearly savoring her confused expression. Rika couldn't help herself and gave a small smirk.

"Yeah," Ryo answered. "Each Digimon has their own line of baked goods. They change every month." He raised his eyebrows mischievously. "You should see the Renamon bread."

Despite her initial confusion, Renamon took a bite, nibbling on her cookie ear. A pleasant smile found its way to her face. "I'm honored to taste so delicious.

"Lemon and vanilla frosting. Aren't they just the most adorable cookies?" Rika's grandmother gushed.

The five of them sat there, munching their cookies and making polite conversation. They even managed to get Cyberdramon to try a cookie, the Ultimate chomping it down in one bite. It wasn't until 3:36pm that Ryo sat up, pushing his chair in.

"I've had a wonderful time here, but Cyberdramon and I should be heading home now."

Her grandmother began to get up, but Rika stopped her. "Don't worry grandma, I'll show him the way out." She and Renamon trudged through the house, arriving at the courtyard with Ryo and Cyberdramon in tow.

Ryo held his hands behind his head. "You're grandma sure can cook."

Rika nodded. " Part of why I never skip a meal. She gives great advice, as you just learned."

"It was nice to relax for once," he said wistfully. "Everything has been so tense lately, it was nice to kick back and enjoy a meal with some friends."

"Just don't make it a habit. Otherwise I'll make my grandma serve you nothing but tea."

"No need for that Wildcat, I'm leaving now." Ryo said in mock fear. The Tamer began to crawl onto Cyberdramon's back. Once he was settled, he turned to look at her. " Before I came over, Takato gave me a call. Said he wants all of us to meet at the playground tomorrow after school."

"Not the park?" Renamon asked.

"No. Apparently, Doggymon and Swanmon having been hanging out there lately. Takato said he only wants us to talk with people we trust."

"And right now, those two are on thin ice." Rika finished.

"Yeah. After all the horde of Digimon disappeared, Henry and Takato told me that both of them had run off before any of it started. It's possible they have something to do with it."

"So we're just supposed to ignore them and pretend they don't exist?" She could feel her anger rising. _Leave it to Takato to sweep everything under the rug and do nothing._ "We need to take action. If they had something to do with this, we should just pound them until they start talking!"

"And we are," he said levelheadedly. "Everyday, we have a Digimon take a shift at spying on them."

"How do you know all of this? Why did nobody tell me?" She clenched a fist. _He better talk, otherwise he's getting a knuckle sandwich. That should make him not hungry anymore._

Ryo gave a long sigh. Cyberdramon seemed impatient, snarling. His Tamer patted his head reassuringly. "Almost done," he promised. "That's why Henry said to keep it on the downlow. He knew you and Kazu would be wild cards. And if it makes you feel better, we didn't tell Ai,Mako, or Suzie for obvious reasons. But we have been borrowing Impmon to help with the spying. As long as he returns with ice cream though, his Tamers couldn't care less."

Rika put two and two together. "So this is why you're leaving, to do a shift."

"Yeah…" he trailed off. "It was supposed to be my shift for the whole day, but when Renamon told me to come here, I asked for Kenta to take my place."

"Go then." She heard herself say dismissively. She shifted her gaze to the ground, glaring at a particular carefree blade of grass.

Rika didn't look up again as she heard wingbeats flapping and the hulking presence of Cyberdramon disappear.

"Rika," Renamon began.

"Forget it for now. Let's just go inside." With that, she stomped back towards her room.

* * *

Rumiko Nonaka and her mother watched as Rika talked with the boy outside. Her back was to them, so they could only really see his expressions.

"Try not to let her see you," her mother warned. "We'd never hear the end of it."

"I know I know." Rumiko set her binoculars down to look at her mother in the eye. "Rika has certainly been spending a lot of time with this boy." Her forehead scrunched. "What was his name again?"

"Ryo. From the way he was at lunch, he's a very pleasant young man."

A burst of excitement ran down her spine. "Rika's finally becoming a girl!" She peered through the binoculars again. Ryo now had a frown on his face. "Oh no," dread replaced her positivity.

"What's wrong?"

"It's horrible! I'm sure he just friendzoned her!" Rumiko could feel herself growing faint, only for an idea to take shape in her mind. "She'll need some motherly support!"

Her mother sighed behind her. "I don't think that's what I meant."

 _WHOOSH_

The large dragon the boy had been with had lifted into the air, flying away from the house.

 _SLAM_

The door to Rika's door was now shut against the outside world.

 _So much for mother daughter time I guess._

"They'll be fine," her mother said, a knowing smile on her face.

Rumiko had other ideas. "I don't think so. Firsts are always the hardest to get over. Men are too inconsiderate."

"I guess we will make things interesting." Her mother walked to away and returned with her purse. Rummaging around, she procured her wallet. "I bet you twenty dollars things will be fine."

Shock flowed through her mind. "Gambling Mother!?" Her mother couldn't possibly be serious. However, as she looked her in the eyes, she could see her determination.

"I accept," she said confidently. _I pray I am wrong, mother. For my daughter's sake._

* * *

Fridays at the bakery were always the most busy. Not only was there a special sale of buy one pastry, get another half off, Friday was also the only day of the week that the infamous Guilmon Bread was created. Based on the business, it was clearly their hottest item yet.

Takato was currently in the back with his father as they kneaded the dough for the famed product. His mother was up front, taking orders from the customers. Guilmon, the mascot of the bakery, was passing samples out to the customers, as well as complying to the numerous pictures taken. To sway his partner from eating the samples himself, Takato's father has promised the Rookie three whole loaves of the peanutbuttery goodness.

"Keep kneading that dough son, I'm going to get this filling going before the customers decide to break the door down," his father chuckled.

"Sure thing Dad." Takato increased the pressure of his hands, shifting to the left and allowing his dad to pass him.

"So," Takato could barely hear his dad over the numerous voices coming from the front. "Is everything okay with you and your friends?"

Takato cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean exactly dad?" Too much has happened for things to simply be "okay" anymore. _Invasions, evil Digimon, missing kids, where does it end?_

"I haven't really seen too many of your friends at the bakery lately. During the storm the other day, you also seemed pretty spooked when you and Guilmon came home. You always seem to shut yourself in your room and you haven't been eating too much either. Your mother and I are worried."

Takato could feel his voice catching in his throat. He _had_ been distant from his parents lately. His friends were most likely attempting to reassure their own parents that everything was okay. He peered out of the kitchen, watching his mother hand an elderly couple their order of sesame bagels.

If he told his parents everything that had happened, they'd just worry, _especially_ his mother. The two of them already seemed to have some sort of issues they needed to sort out. Despite the bakery and its chaos, he'd hear his parents arguing a lot, sometimes his mother crying. They didn't need more stress in their lives.

"It's alright I guess. A lot of them are just sick." _Sick of all these problems._

"We'll just have to keep you under watch then. You could be catching what they have," his father sounded quite relieved.

 _He must be imagining a worst case scenario...Like with the D-Reaper._

Takato's thoughts were interrupted when a hand found its way to his forehead. "You do feel a little warm, champ," his father observed. "I suggest going upstairs. We don't want to contaminate the bread."

"Are you sure," he asked, shocked.

"Your mother and I can take it from here. Guilmon can come join you once the afternoon rush is over."

"Um, sure thing dad," With that, Takato walked past his mother who was busy taking orders, and walked upstairs.

"Takato," his mother called before he opened his door.

"Yeah mom?"

"Your friend Kenta is here."

"Thanks!"

Friend in question appeared at the base of the stairs. "Hey Takato," Kenta greeted, seemingly out of breath.

"Everything alright?" Takato looked around. If this was important, he didn't want his parents to hear any of it. "C'mon up," he said, motioning for Kenta to follow.

The two of them entered his room, Takato closing the door behind him. Kenta sat at the chair at his desk, leaning back.

"So what's up?"

Kenta looked at him, his usual meekness returning. "Nothing wrong I mean," he stammered. "I just came from the park and wanted to tell you what I saw."

Takato was confused. "But today was Ryo and Cyberdramon's turn. What were you doing there?"

Ever since the large invasion force him and Henry had seen when they were flying with Beelzemon, Takato had been on edge. After sharing stories with him, Henry had agreed with him that Swanmon and Doggymon were now suspects. They had taken to living in the park for the past few days. Henry had devised the strategy of having a Tamer and their partner keep watch.

"Yeah. But Ryo told me he had something important to do, so he called me and told me to take his place."

 _Not like Ryo to skip out. Especially when he shares our views. Wonder what's up?_ Takato shook his head to stop thinking. "Did you see anything happen?"

Kenta shook his head. "Not really. They're just seem to be hanging out in Guilmon's hut. I didn't see Swanmon, but I did see Doggymon walking around. It seemed to be patrolling or something."

"What are they up to?" Takato wondered aloud.

"I wish we knew. I could barely keep MarineAngemon entertained the whole time. He ate through six chocolate bars!" Kenta exclaimed, holding up six fingers dramatically.

Takato gave a small snort. MarineAngemon was just like Calumon, known to be addicted to sugar, especially chocolate. "It's not chocolate, but we are making Guilmon bread. I can get you a loaf if you'd like."

He nodded. "That'd be great. We didn't exactly do much, but I want to give him some sort of a reward." Kenta began to look at his shoes. "I'm scared I'm going to wake up and he'll be gone."

Takato knew how Kenta felt. He felt similar feelings with Guilmon. His partner still seemed to be a bit shaken up with what happened to them in the Digital World, but was slowly becoming the Guilmon he loved and remembered. "All we can really do is protect them as best we can."

"I guess."

"Where's MarineAngemon by the way? Didn't he come with you?"

Kenta blushed embarrassedly. "Some of the girls from our class kind of took him. Said he was 'adorbs' and started taking pictures with him."

"Girls can be very weird sometimes," Takato agreed. However, only one came to mind.

Jeri had seemed to have disappeared. Since the day of the storm, he had not seen her at school. He called her house a few times, her dad answering and telling him she was home, but he was worried. He'd taken to taking her small amount of homework their substitute teacher gave them and delivering it to her stepmother.

"Anyways I'm going to go rescue MarineAngemon before he gets kidnapped...again." The way Kenta said it, this was apparently a common occurrence. Takato was glad he designed Guilmon too big to be picked up and stolen.

Takato led his friend downstairs, the Tamer quickly running out of the shop towards his partner.

"That was quick," his mother observed, handing a customer their order. "Thank you come again!"

"Yeah, he was just here to say hi, haha," Takato laughed nervously.

"You should get back upstairs and get some rest, young man," his mom ordered. "We can't have you missing school. I don't care if your friends are skipping, you will not have bad grades, not in this house."

"Yes ma'am," he confirmed, slowly trudging upstairs. Opening the door to his room, he shut it behind himself before laying down on his bed.

Not even thirty seconds after his head hit his pillow, his cellphone rang. _Ugh, can't even have a moment's peace._

He pulled it off of his desk and answered it. "Hello?" _Man, I even sound tired!_

"I'm a wildcard, hmm?" an irate familiar voice boomed into his ear.

 _Aw nuts, Rika!_

He bolted up, terrified to be hearing her this angry. Even on the phone she could be scary. "C'mon Rika, you can't blame me. You know you can be a bit-" he paused trying to think of the right word.

"A bit _what_?" she asked suspiciously, clearly egging him on.

"-unpredictable." he finished.

"Unpredictable," she seethed. Takato shut his eyes, bracing himself. " You'll wish predictable is the only thing that I am!"

"Rika please. I'm sorry."

"Too late for that Gogglehead." With that, she hung up.

Takato groaned. _That could've gone better._

* * *

A large monitor lay hidden beneath a thick layer of dust. Yamaki simply stared at it. Two years had gone in the blink of an eye.

Nothing could make him forget what had taken place though. Digimon, the D-Reaper, the whole Hypnos operation. These events would be seared into his brain for as long as he lived.

But that was the past. This was now. The new Hypnos was now a program used to establish peace, between both Digimon and humans. He still didn't get these creatures, didn't understand them one bit, but that didn't mean he couldn't learn.

Headed by Shibumi and Janyu Wong, the team of programmers was currently attempting to recreate Grani. The multimillion dollar project may not have had too long a spotlight, but it had been an essential role in destroying the D-Reaper. If there should ever be a similar string of events, humanity needed to be prepared.

They couldn't always count on children to save the world.

However, having to recreate Grani's blueprints was clearly taking its toll on his group of Monster Makers.

"Ah, Janyu," Yamaki greeted.

Co-founder of the Monster Makers shambled over, clearly lacking sleep. Black bags sagged beneath his bloodshot eyes. "Yamaki," he nodded.

"I was curious how progress was coming,"

Janyu ran his hand through his disheveled hair. He'd been here at the Hypnos building for three straight days now. No shower, many takeout boxes littering his work area, the only living person in the building besides Yamaki himself.

"Not as well as I'd hoped. I've managed to recreate the fundamental components to recreate the Ark, but I can't seem to stabilize them."

"Good," Yamaki nodded. "I'd suggest you go home now, return to your family."

The scientist shook his head. "I can't, not yet. I need to recalculate the numbers. If I can just crack Shibumi's theory, maybe call Daisy in and have her do some number crunching, we can hopefully get a simulation going."

"Your wife insisted you come home. She's called me and told me to 'stop making my husband work himself to the bone and allow him some vacation days.'"

Janyu's eyes widened. "Oh dear. I guess I've forgotten to tell her I've come here of my free volition. I'll just give her a call and tell her I'm staying longer." He reached for the phone on his desk.

Yamaki removed his sunglasses, giving him a hard look. "Go home Wong. You've done enough work."

"No, I haven't!" Janyu exclaimed. "If my son has to go out there and keep risking his life, then I've clearly not pushed myself hard enough."

"You can't do all of this in one go."

"I can try," he growled. "I took away Henry's best friend. And not just his. I hurt all those children. None of them deserved to be split up. And now that they're reunited? I can't allow them to save us time and time again."

"Janyu," Yamaki began.

"No," he snarled. "I deserve to be tired. I deserve to be drained of all emotion. Because no matter what I do, it'll never amount to what I put these children, and my own children, through. All their pain and suffering on my account."

Yamaki gave a long sigh, he really didn't want to do this. However, it seems like he had no choice.

Two minutes later, the sleep depriven Monster Maker was slumbering on a lumpy couch. A makeshift pillow and blanket had been made from both his and Yamakis' jackets.

Yamaki was now seated at Janyu's desk, an icepack on one hand, and a telephone in the other.

 _He certainly is hardheaded. Quite literally._

The phone on the other end rang about three times before someone picked it up.

"Hello?" a young feminine voice asked.

"Ah, Suzie," Yamaki breathed. "I need to talk-"

He could hear crinkles as the phone was placed into the hands of another person.

"It's sunglasses man," he could barely hear her say.

"Yamaki?" a different voice ask.

"Henry," Yamaki greeted.

"What's the occasion?" Yamaki could tell Henry was quite eager to hang up the phone. He couldn't blame him, not with what had happened in the past.

"Actually, I need to speak with your mother."

"She's a bit busy cooking at the moment. Care to leave a message?" he joked bitterly.

Yamaki sighed, Henry could certainly try his patience. "Please. It's fairly urgent."

"Dad alright?" he asked, his tone of voice losing its edge.

"He's fine. Just please give her the phone."

The phone crinkled yet again. "Hello?"

 _Finally._ Yamaki cleared his throat. "Mrs. Wong."

"Yamaki," she recognized. "You managed to get him to sleep?"

He looked from the icepack on his hand to the man knocked out on the couch. "It took a bit of persuasion, but I did."

sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness. I knew he wouldn't want to come home. Since Terriermon and Lopmon have been back, his guilt's been too much for him lately. He's been having a lot of nightmares."

"I see,"

"He tends to get bury himself in work to hide from it. I knew he'd be there for a while, and I know he'll be there longer. Can you do me a favor and take care of him for me?" she pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do,"

"Thank you so much Yamaki. You're truly a great friend." With that, she hung up.

He was a friend now was he?

Yamaki sat in a chair next to the couch Janyu currently occupied. He knew the Tamers were reunited. It is part of way he had not reached out to them. If he could avoid using them unless it were absolutely necessary, they could perhaps have some sort of a normal life.

It shouldn't be too much a problem. A few weeks ago, Shibumi had said the Digital World was all but dead. After that, him and most of the Monster Makers had been off the radar, even Yamaki himself had no clue where they all went. Probably grieving the loss of their creations most likely.

The only ones who had stayed behind originally were Janyu and Daisy, however, Daisy was currently on vacation in Hawaii. This left only Janyu and Yamaki to work on Grani.

Yamaki may be a technical genius, but he was nowhere near the level of Janyu and his team. It wasn't much, but at least he could supply them with the money they needed to progress the project.

A muffled beep called out, echoing throughout the room. A beep Yamaki hadn't heard in two years. He raced into the other room, one his colleagues Riley and Talley once occupied. A room where they were to keep watch for activity on the Digital Plane. He looked at the screen, his suspicions correct.

A Digital Field had opened.

* * *

 **Digimon**

Yamaki

Janyu

Rumiko

Rika's Grandma

 **Kingdom Hearts**

No New Characters


	12. On the Seventeenth Day

**W-W-WHAT?! Two chapters in two weeks? Guess what everyone, it's summer! A certain author had graduated Wednesday and now has more free time than she knows what to do with. So guess what? New schedule! I'm going to try and post a chapter every Friday now! Woohoo! I don't know if they will all be in this particular story, this is definitely my biggest project, but I may want to try and release some smaller stories too. I was looking and my page is very sadly empty. SO why not give some more cool stuff like this! I know I said I was originally going to make this a prologue project, but now that we are finally starting to pick up some steam, I may cancel that and just make this a plain old story. It'll make everything much less confusion. 1700 views people! I'm so happy I think I may explode. I never would have thought this story would this would be so popular, I'm glad I was proven wrong. But now I'm rambling, and I know you are eager to read this. So, Read Relax and Enjoy!**

* * *

Kazu stared absentmindedly out the window, aimlessly staring at the passing clouds. It was hard to believe, and he was truly beginning to wonder if he was going insane, but having a substitute teacher was really starting to get boring.

When Miss Asagi had been teaching, he'd love to get a reaction out of her. Sure, he'd always get yelled at, given detention, and even sent to the principal's office now and then, but it was all worth it to divert lesson plans for the few sweet moments he could stall for.

With the crummy substitute teacher they had been stuck with, , they'd literally done nothing. A month into the school year and not a single assignment had been completed, let alone issued. The hunched back balding man simply sat there at the teacher's desk, flipping through a heavy black leather bound book.

However today was different. The book was nowhere in sight, just standing in front of the chalkboard up at the front of the room. Kazu had been so used to not seeing him move, he nearly fell out of his chair when the teacher spoke.

"Now class," he rasped in a low voice. "Perhaps today, it is time I taught you a lesson."

Many of the students looked at each other. Many gave sighs of relief, glad the teacher was finally taking initiative. Others grumbled, displeased at having to pay attention. And few others were just confused, curious if they should take the substitute seriously or not.

"Finally," Henry muttered. "Time to get this show on the road."

Kazu agreed, cracking his knuckles in enthusiasm. _Time to see how long it'll take to crack this nut job_ _hehe_.

With chalk in one hand, a wooden pointer stick in the other, began to draw something on the chalkboard. He scribbled for several minutes, stepping away once he finished.

"Now then. If this is a human being," he began, pointing to an outline that looked humanoid. "What is this?" he asked, directing the pointer at the outline's chest a circle drawn inside.

Jeri raised her hand. This was the first time he had seen her for several days. The last time he had seen her was when she had run out of the classroom crying; when he had sided with Henry, saying the Sora kid was suspicious. That had been weeks ago.

"A heart," she answered when the teacher pointed at her.

"Correct," Mr. Manse mused. "And what is it that makes the heart so special, so strong?"

This time Henry raised his hand, allowing Kazu to sigh in relief. He needed to stay under the teacher's radar for as long as possible.

"The heart is a self sustaining organ that pumps blood into itself and throughout the body. It carries oxygen and nutrients to where they are needed and is the central component of the circulatory system."

Mr. Manse nods approvingly. "Correct. However, that is not what I was thinking. That is true in a physical sense, but what about spiritually, mentally, magically?"

"Magic sir?" Takato questioned, not waiting to be called on

"Forgive me," the teacher bowed. "I seem to have mispoken." His eyes lit up, causing a shiver to run down Kazu's spine. "I think I shall tell you all a story."

Mr. Manse began to pace around front of the room, still clutching the chalk and pointer. "Long ago," he began. "People lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone love the light. Then people began to fight over it, they wanted to keep it for themselves. Thus, darkness was born in their hearts." At this, the teacher scribbled over the circle he had claimed was a human heart. "The darkness spread, swallowing the light in many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But, small fragments of light survived. In the hearts of children." He gestured towards all the students with his pointer. "With these fragments, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now."

"Sounds like a load of baloney to me," Kazu scoffed. _What kind of mumbo jumbo does this guy put into his coffee?_

"We are all born into darkness, and we will all die in darkness. If it is our start and our end, why must we stray towards the light?"

The children looked at each other, uncertainty in their eyes. "What's he talking about?" one student asked.

"I dunno, when did a science lesson turn into one on philosophy?"

"Should we like, call someone dude?"

Kazu looked over at Takato, Henry, and Jeri. Kenta was strangely absent, probably sick or something. "What is this guy's problem? I bet he escaped from an insane asylum!"

Henry sighed. "Gonna have to agree with you on that Kazu. Magic? Light and dark?"

Takato lowered his goggles, clamping them over his eyes. "If you guys can keep his attention off the door, I should be able to sneak out and grab the principal. If he sees how crazy this guy is, we might be able to get a new teacher."

"You got it Takato," Henry reassured.

"Be careful," Jeri cautioned. Takato's face turned bright red before he slipped out of his chair and pressed himself against the wall.

"Let's do this. Operation Disrupt Class is a go!" Kazu whispered excitedly. Henry rolled his eyes, Jeri not even looking in his direction. _Time to do what I do best._

"Um, excuse me, Mr. Manse?" Kazu asked.

"What is it now?" the teacher replied grumpily. Clearly he was irritated that Kazu had interrupted his lecture, and Kazu was loving every second of it.

"Your drawing is great and all, but you can do so much better. I drew better that that when I was four years old."

"Oooohhhh," echoed the class, the students sensing a showdown.

Kazu took a moment to glance at Takato, the Tamer already creeping towards the door. "Here, I'll show you." Without waiting for permission, he jumped out of his chair and walked to the front of the room.

"Return to your seat you vermin!" Snarled the substitute. Kazu snatched the chalk from his hand, commencing the start of his doodling on the chalkboard.

He managed to draw a large valentine heart on the board before turning to the adult and mimicking the shape with his hands. "I love you Mr. Manse," he said in a high pitched voice, outstretching his heart shaped hands.

The menacing glare he was given sent chills down his spine. _Aww man! M-maybe I went a little too far…_ The teacher's lips were pursed into an evil sneer, his eyes twitching with white hot rage. His right hand began to clench and unclench involuntarily. He took a step forward.

"You little brat will regret the day you were born!" He lunged at Kazu, clawing furiously over his body.

He attempted to dodge, but jumped right into a desk, knocking the wind out of himself. Stunned momentarily, Mr. Manse grabbed the back of Kazu's shirt, holding him in place.

At this moment, the door opened, Takato and the school principal bursting in. "What is the meaning of this! I never authorized for there to be a substitute teacher, nor did I know that Nami Asagi was missing!" He turned to look at Mr. Manse. "I've called the police, they will be here to escort you off the premises of this school and into a jail cell. Attempt to leave or hurt these children and you will be faced with consequences."

Kazu never thought he'd see the day where he was thankful they had such an uptight principal. _He just totally saved my behind!_ His arms still stung from where the teacher scratched him, but other than that, he was on top of the world.

Despite the daylight streaming from outside from the windows, the room turned pitch black. Kazu couldn't even see his own hand, let alone the deranged teacher in front of him. He flailed his arms aimlessly around him, slightly panicking. _Where the hell did the sun go?_

About four seconds of panicking later, Kazu was able to see again. The principal and Takato still positioned in the doorway, the rest of the students at their desks. However, Mr. Manse was nowhere to be seen.

"C-class is dismissed for the day. Please go home as soon as possible and stay there for the rest of the week. I must have the authorities investigate all this." The principal calmly assured the students that nothing was wrong, but Kazu could tell he was just a spook away from wetting his pants. How did he know this? He felt exactly the same.

He got out of that room as fast as possible, his friends only slightly behind him. It was only once they got to the bike rack that they began to chatter amongst themselves. Despite the intense situation they had just gone through, it was a beautiful day outside. Blue skies, white clouds, bright sunshine, the perfect time to end their two hour school day."Woohoo no more school for the week. Best school year ever!"

"I dunno." Henry interjected. "I don't like the fact that the principal didn't know about our subsitute. I mean, he called the police!"

"He was very surprised when I came kinda crashing into his office," Takato said, rubbing the back of his head bashfully.

"Well, at least you saved us. That teacher was really starting to scare me." She wrapped her arms around the goggle headed boy, pulling him into a hug.

"What about me?" Kazu asked. "I did a pretty awesome job too. How else was he supposed to get he-"

"C'mon Takato. Let's go to my dad's restaurant. Calumon has been swimming in the banana splits lately. It's pretty funny watching him try to eat one all by himself."

"Sure," Takato agreed. He and Jeri grabbed bikes, Jeri pedalling away already. Takato shot Kazu and Henry a confused look before giving a shrug and racing after her."

"She still mad at us?" Kazu asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yup."

"Great. So what now?" His question was only met with silence. "Henry?" He turned around.

"See you at the playground later today Kazu," he hollered from the distance, biking away.

"Why am I always the last one left behind? I basically saved us from that creep of a teacher and I got zero respect." he whined to himself. He gave a sigh before slowly trudging the two minute walk in the direction of his house. Time to go save Guardromon from my mom before she turns him into a crockpot again.

* * *

It was in the middle of being fed his lunch of scrambled eggs and dry toast that he noticed it. It was small, nearly undetectable. He had been without it for so long he thought he was imagining it. Obviously, he was delirious from being bedridden for so long, right?

However, when Miss Asagi rose to take his empty plate into the kitchen to wash it, he could feel the sensation growing. A small ember inside him was slowly rekindling, hesitantly fanning out its flames.

His magic spark had returned.

Sora had never felt so excited in a long time. He'd been trapped in this bed for seventeen days now. A number was all he had been able to cling to as he lay there, healing from endeavors he could only vaguely recall.

 _Should I really do this?_ He took a deep breath, causing him chest to ignite in pain. A swift reminder only fueling his decision more. _No. I have to. I need to._

"Heal," he muttered, envisioning his Cure spell.

The small reservoir of magic he felt was gone before he could even register the fact he used it. A spiraling green energy wafted over his body, slowly dissipating into nothingness.

Despite the obvious effect, his body felt no difference. His concussion had died down ages ago, thankfully healing nicely. However, his broken ribs still burned, the pain rising and falling as he breathed. His broken leg and arm were still set in hardened casts, his fractured wrist in a sling. The burns that coated his body would irritate from time to time, but with Miss Asagi applying various ointments, they were healing nicely.

Sora could feel his frustration bubbling up. Why did he have to be so useless? He had taken on far greater challenges, yet here he was, unable to even leave a bed. R _iku and Kairi aren't going to stop searching. I'd do the same for them again if I have to. But they deserve to live their lives, not spend them searching for me._ The endless bedrest had made him think much deeper than he usually did. It was the only way for him to occupy himself.

"Sora, did you want to do another lesson?" Miss Asagi's disembodied voice asked from a different room.

"That'd be great!" he hollered. Apparently, his caretaker was a teacher. When he had told her he had missed two years of school, she had been mortified. As a result, she had been teaching him various lessons of different subjects. In all honesty, Sora enjoyed school. It was a major break from saving the world.

"Here," she said, returning with a textbook. "We'll be returning to geology for today. I'll teach you about igneous,sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, and how they form."

Sora couldn't exactly take notes, so Miss Asagi would simply read him the information, point out the pictures, and ask questions on what she just covered. Sora was glad that if he got a question wrong, there wouldn't be a life or world at stake, just a simple shake of the head and the correct answer.

Miss Asagi was busy explaining him how obsidian was formed, when her telephone rang. Setting the textbook onto the bed, she walked over to the nightstand next to Sora and grabbed the phone she kept there.

"Hello?" Her face lit up. "Ah, Principal Hoshido. Is everything alright?" She twirled the telephone cord around her fingers as she listened. "Yes, I'm fine. I simply had to take medical leave." Her expression seemed to harden. "I'm sorry, but I can't come back yet." Suddenly she looked terrified. "What do you mean the children were attacked!?" The caller on the other side seemed to be explaining the situation to her.

Sora watched his caretaker anxiously. He hated seeing her so stressed out. She has been caring for him for all of seventeen days, if he could repay her back, he would do it tenfold.

"I see," she mumbled. After giving a sigh, "I shall consider it." She hung the phone up. With that, she turned back to him, a smile on her face. "Now then, where were we?" she asked.

He gingerly shook his head, still getting used to the idea of being able to actually move a part of his body. "You can stop if you like. And that phone call sounded serious. If you need to get back to teaching, then go."

Miss Asagi pursed her lips. "Sora, I'm not just going to abandon you. You need someone to be here for you."

"And your students need someone to be over there," he countered. "You've helped me so much. Besides, I feel much better already," he lied. At this moment, his chest had a dull burning sensation. His broken bones didn't really hurt, but they felt stiff. He longed to stretch his muscles, _to take a shower._

"You need me more. You may think you need to go back to living on your own, but that just isn't true. You have me and Angel now. And if you think we're just going to walk out of that door and leave you, then you are wrong."

It was pointless to argue with a teacher. They're whole job was to educate students on how to better themselves. If Miss Asagi was too stubborn to leave him to his own devices, Sora assumed he'd be stuck with her for a much longer time period. He reached out and put his hand over hers. "Thanks. For putting up with me," he laughed.

She didn't say a word. All she was currently doing was staring at him. Boy, was it making him feel uncomfortable. He wiped away some sweat that was gathering on his forehead. Then it occurred to him.

"I can use my arm!" he stammered, flabbergasted to have a working limb. His fractured wrist was healed!

Miss Asagi seemed equally speechless. "This is impossible," she whispered astoundedly. "I better call the doctors, see what they think." With that, she was back on the phone.

Being able to actually move a part of his body was an amazing first step for recovery. _I just wish I knew how I got some of my magic back._ He also had to be careful how much he moved his arm. Despite it being healed, it was still connected to his chest, which was still in utter agony.

Magic was a curious element. Even Donald, whom was a powerful Magician, still studied through the various texts they had kept on their Gummi Ship. Merlin, whom had taught him the basics, tended to be too flustered with some other issue to take the time to explain it properly. TO be fair though, the end of the universe had only just been narrowly avoided. Twice.

"A doctor will be here later today. They'll just run some basic tests, ask you some questions. They said you might even be able to upgrade to solid foods," she joked lightheartedly.

Sora nodded, this had been the daily routine. "I've been dreaming of this day for so long," he snarkily replied. This caused her to smile, momentarily forgetting the stressful phone call from earlier.

Angel hopped onto the bed, purring loudly. Using this as a wonderful opportunity, Sora reached out with his newly healed arm and gave her some pets, stroking down her back. Her fur was velvet soft, a luxury in contrast to the bed spread he's been stuck with for nearly three weeks.

The two of them continued to chat like this for sometime, both ever hopeful that he would recover swiftly. They were so engrossed in their jokes and conversation, that neither could hear a muffled beep come from underneath the blankets. A sound made from a certain Digivice.

* * *

The small dinosaur playground was currently empty, the perfect place for a Tamer meeting. Takato and Jeri were currently seated on the swing set, gazing up at the clouds as they clung to the chains that held them aloft. Guilmon and Calumon were currently repeatedly going down the slide, walking up the ladder, and sliding back down the the bottom.

It was currently 3:27 PM, about three more minutes before many of his friends would show up.

"So, uh Jeri?"

"Yeah Takato?" she replied curiously.

He could feel his heartbeat quicken as he gazed into her eyes. _I'm gonna screw up again, I just know it._ "Uh…" Takato wracked his brain, unable to think of anything to say. Awkward tension surrounded the two of them. "Nevermind," he muttered softly. He began to look at the ground, too ashamed to raise his head.

"This is where is all began," she said out of the blue.

"What?" He thought it over, now looking at the sky in deep thought. _Oh yeah._ "This is where I became a Tamer."

"Yeah," she confirmed. "The start to an amazing life changing adventure." She looked down, a sad expression on her face. "I just wish Leomon could have seen the end of it."

"He's always with you," he heard himself say. "He helped you fight the D-Reaper and he'll be here to help you through everything else."

A smile found its way to her face, causing Takato to smile back at her encouragingly. "Thanks Takato, for everything. You always know just what to say."

"Always glad to help." He gushed. Takato still felt on top of the world from the hug Jeri had given him earlier that day. It just reminded him of how much he really liked Jeri. He only wished he was able to tell her.

"Hey Takato!" hollered a familiar voice.

 _Oh boy._ The goggle headed Tamer looked up to see none other than Kazu.

He came over, Guardromon stomping behind him. "So why're we meeting here and not in our usual spot?"

"Kazu, must you be so loud?" asked the Champion Digimon. He seemed unaware of the noise he was making himself as his body seemed to be hissing.

"Uhhh..Kazu? What is up with Guardomon?" Takato inquired, a little fearful for his safety.

The overconfident Tamer gave a sigh before dragging his hand down his face in an annoyed manner. "My mom kinda has a turkey cooking in him at the moment."

 _Ummm what?_ "She turned Guardromon into an oven?"

"Yeah," he said embarrassed. "We've got some relatives coming over, so my mom wants to show off by cooking a turkey." He turned towards Jeri who was being strangely silent. "Hey Jeri, fancy meeting you here."

She refused to meet his eyes, let alone his greeting and instead chose to watch Calumon and Guilmon playing in the distance.

"Ouch. That's a bit harsh," Kazu commented.

Guardromon chose to sit on a nearby bench, the metal piece of furniture squealing and bending under protest due to his weight. "Kazu, I feel I must lose some pounds soon." Kazu simply smacked his forehead in frustration before joining his Digimon is silence.

Not even ten minutes later, Henry, Rika, Ai, Mako, and Suzie would join them. " That's nearly everyone," Henry concluded. "Just missing Ryo and Kenta."

"Good riddance," Rika muttered.

Despite the pleasant atmosphere of the environment, and the cheerful demeanor of the Digimon, Takato couldn't help but feel a large amount of tension between his friends. He knew Jeri was at odds with Henry and Kazu for the moment, but there seemed to be a rift elsewhere. Rika was also very steamed at him for not telling her about the scouting shifts.

"Kenta should be reporting in real soon. I sent him a text saying he can come over." Henry explained.

"What do you mean 'reporting in'?" Kazu asked suspiciously. He crossed his arms, probably trying to think.

"I'll explain when him and Ryo get here." Takato assured.

"If they get here," remarked Rika.

An irritating beeping resounded throughout the air. Each Tamer looked down at their Digivice, suspect that something had gone amiss.

"Sorry everyone," Henry bashfully apologized. He dug in his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. "Hello?" he asked, answering it.

"Uuughh. Why do I have ta be surrounded by idiots!" Beelzemon groaned.

"Impmon, that's not nice," Ai said, crossing her arms. Takato didn't see much of Ai or Mako, but he thoroughly enjoyed watching them give Impmon a talking to. He could swear Impmon would always gloat when he digivolved into Beelzemon. He was now the most powerful Digimon they had now that the Sovereign were out of commission.

"They're my idiots though," he mumbled grumpily.

"Guys we have a major problem." Henry exclaimed, somehow still sounding calm despite the panic in his voice.

"What's up?" Kazu asked.

"Yamaki just gave me a phone call. He told me there are Digital Fields popping up all over the city."

"What? How?" Rika demanded. "They shouldn't be able to come through. The Digital World is gone!"

"Wait what? The Digital World is gone?" Takato was flabbergasted. _What happened?_

"Why didn't our Digivices tell us they popped up?" Kazu inquired.

"There's no time for this!" Henry yelled. "Yamaki gave me the coordinates for four Digital Fields. We need to split up into teams and solve this."

Both Digimon and Tamers stood there awkwardly, unsure who to pair up with.

Henry threw his hands up into the air in exasperation. "Fine, I'll split us up." He pointed at Takato and Kazu, opening up a map he had pulled out of his backpack. "I want the two of you to go to this northern point, it's near the supermarket. Me and Suzie will go to the point near the subway." He then pointed at Rika and Beelzemon. " I want you guys to go to the hospital. I'm going to send Ryo and Kenta a text and hope they have the fourth Field covered. To make sure, everyone meet up outside the hospital. Both Fields are in that general area."

Beelzemon didn't bother to wait out for any pleasantries. He simply grabbed both of his Tamers and flew off towards his destination. Rika soon followed suit, digivolving Renamon and following after him on Kyubimon's back.

"C'mon Guilmon! Time to go close a Field!" His partner raced over, all but knocking Takato to the ground. "Ugh. You ready Kazu?" he asked, pulling himself up.

"I'm always ready to kick digital butt, just not sure about Guardromon."

Back on his feet, Takato looked at the metal Champion Digimon. "Kazu, it's ready!" he exclaimed in a panicked voice. His body was slowly expanding, screeching with each and every new dent.

With a great deal of difficulty, Guardromon twisted the valve on his chest, allowing it to swing open. A large amount of steam burst through the air. All that remained was a perfectly golden brown turkey, set in a large aluminum pan.

"Ooh. Looks great," drooled Kazu.

"It smells yummy!" exclaimed a hyper Guilmon, dreamily sniffing the air besides Kazu.

"Aw c'mon guys, now you're making me hungry," Takato protested. As though agreeing with his thoughts, his stomach growled loudly. "Guilmon, if you help me close this Field, we can go over to Kazu's for dinner." He turned to look at Kazu. "Think your mom will mind?"

"Nah," he assured, swatting his hand through the air. "She loves it when I have friends over." He crawled onto Guardromon's back. "Let's rock and roll."

He nodded, attempting to ignore the signals his stomach was sending to his brain. "C'mon Guilmon, we've got a turkey waiting on us." He dug into his back pocket and grasped at the deck of cards he kept there. "Digi-Modify! Digivolution activate!"

"Guilmon digivolve to!" The red Digimon began to grow rapidly, tripling in size. A white mane sprouted, along with a pair of stubby horns. Various black markings appeared upon his body, adding a splash of color. "Growlmon!"

Takato climbed onto his partner's back. "To the supermarket!" he commanded. Growlmon gave a roar, stomping his way in the direction of their destination.

Guardromon followed behind, albeit at a slower pace. His body was so heavy, his footsteps left indentions in the pavement.

The Champions had no choice but to travel through the middle of town to get to the supermarket. "Coming through!" Kazu shouted. However, there was no need for him to say a word. The moment people saw Growlmon, they would part ways. Some in terror, others in awe and understanding.

"Sorry about all this," Takato apologized. "Growlmon, the sooner we get out of here, the better."

"I'll try," Growlmon rasped. He was currently trying to skirt around the oncoming cars. Up ahead, there was a large closed off section to the street. Blockades and flashing lights guarded the intersection they needed to go through in order to get to the supermarket. On the other side of the restricted area was a thick layer of fog. The Digital Field.

 _Guess we have no choice but to go through_. "Be careful Growlmon," Takato advised. "I don't want you to get stuck in a pothole or something. They must be trying to repair a street."

Growlmon nodded as he delicately stepped over the striped blockade signs. His tail knocked one over, the sign falling down with a crash.

"Hey you kids!" exclaimed a traffic officer wearing a neon orange vest. Had he not been wearing the vest, the fog would've masked his presence. Takato could feel himself freeze.

 _Aw nuts! Just what we need._

The officer strode on over to Growlmon quite casually. Instead of giving him a reprimanding however, he gave a subtle salute. "Yamaki sends his regards. He managed to pull some strings and get the Fields quarantined. Keep following the street, the fog keeps getting thicker and thicker."

"Tell Yamaki he totally rocks," Kazu interjected. Guardromon stood next to Growlmon huffing and puffing with effort. "C'mon Guardromon, you really tired already? We won't be able to save the day with you in this shape."

"Perhaps you would like to carry yourself and this turkey uphill?" The Champion countered.

"To the supermarket!" Kazu exclaimed, ignoring his partner not for the first time. Guardromon gave a heavy sigh before continuing the brisk pace he had set for himself, leaving concrete footprints in his wake.

"Let's go," Takato said confidently. _Glad we won't have to worry about people getting hurt._

It wasn't long until they reached the center of the Field. The supermarket wasn't really a big building. More like a town square. There were many stalls, abandoned due to the evacuation Yamaki had most likely issued. Each was littered by the remains of what would be their ideal selling product, such as bread or cheese. One even had a large selection of homemade meatballs, still warm in a left behind crockpot.

Kazu and Takato jumped off of their partners' backs and landed in the middle of the plaza. Growlmon sniffed the air and stomped away into the fog, Guardromon following him. "Hey!" Kazu exclaimed. "Come back here!"

There was no reply. The Tamers stood in silence, surrounded by the soupy obscuring fog.

"I'm not seeing it," Takato observed. They'd been looking for a solid 15 minutes. There was no Digimon, but there were signs of it. Many stalls lay overturned, some bashed in. Different varieties of food lay scattered all around the pavement.

"Find anything Guardromon?" Kazu hollered. Still no response. "Guardromon! Where are you!?" He put his hands on his hips and sighed.

"You think we should be here in this Digital Field alone?" Takato asked, attempting to keep the fear out of his voice, yet knowing he failed.

"We didn't come here alone, our Digimon ran off on their own. Besides, they should be around here somewhere."

Takato crouched down, rummaging through an old pastry stall. _How big is this Digimon? For all we know, it could be too small to find. I mean, we already lost Growlmon and Guardromon, and there's no way we can find them here._ Like lightning, an idea struck inside his head.

"Kazu!" he called out.

"I'm right behind you dude," Kazu said, surprising Takato and causing him to jump. "What's up man?" Kazu laughed.

"I just realized we've been idiots. We can literally follow the tracks Guardromon has been making," He explained, gesturing towards the sunken footprints. He could barely see them, but they were visible enough to follow.

Kazu looked down at the tracks, then back at Takato. "This did not happen," he swore, giving Takato a wink.

Takato nodded solemnly. _I don't need to give Rika more reasons to call me an idiot. She'd never let us live this down._

The two of them cautiously followed the tracks, careful to make sure they didn't lose them to the fog. They could barely see their own hands, they didn't need to be lost with a Digimon on the loose.

The plan was a success. In the distance, Takato could see the familiar silhouette of Guardromon.

"Guardromon!" Kazu yelled happily. "You okay?"

"Kazu! I may require your assistance," the mechanical Digimon replied. Kazu and Takato ran up, eager to see what was wrong.

Guardromon was currently holding Guilmon in outstretched arms. The Rookie Digimon was snapping and snarling, thrashing about as he tried to break free of Guardromon's literal iron grip. He clawed at Guardromon's arms, leaving wicked scratches where he makes contact. His pupils were dilated, a usual sign Guilmon was in one of his more primal states. "I do not know how much longer I can contain him," Guardromon grunted.

"What happened!?" asked Takato, worried. _What made Guilmon Dedigivolve and lose control like this?_

Kazu grabbed his Digivice. "Digi-Modify!" He slid a card, flipping it dramatically in his hand. "Iron Power Gauntlets activate!"

Large grey heavy duty gloves materialized around Guardromon's arms, effectively protecting everything Guilmon was able to attack.

"Guilmon! Please calm down!" Takato pleaded. He slowly walked over towards his Digimon. "It's me boy. I'm not going to hurt you."

In response to his movement, Guilmon snapped in his direction. Takato couldn't help but cringe for a moment. He'd never expected Guilmon to attack him. _No. I can't give up on him now. He's not himself._ With his mental rally, he took another step closer. He reached out, ready to put a hand on his friend.

"Takato no!" Guilmon shouted.

Takato's hand froze as he looked at his partner. No, the voice had not come from in front of him. Rather, it came from behind him. He turned his head around.

Standing behind him was none other than Growlmon.

Takato took a step back too stunned. Both him and Kazu looked from Growlmon, to the Digimon in Guardromon's hands. _If that's Growlmon, then what is Guardromon holding?_

Seeing Growlmon seemed to make Guardromon lower his guard. The Digimon he had been holding managed to break free, wiggling itself onto the ground. Now free to move, it launched itself onto Guardromon's chest, clawing at his valve.

Retracting one of it's limbs for another swipe, it managed to accidentally pull open the compartment. It leaned its head in, and in a single bite, swiped the turkey, before running a fair distance away.

"Give us back our dinner!" Kazu shouted angrily.

The Digimon paid them no heed, devouring the cooked bird in three bites, bones and all. Having just eaten, it turned in circles for a bit before settling down into a small curled up spot. It gave a yawn before settling its head down and closing its eyes.

"Um...what?" Kazu asked,confused. Takato could only nod in stunned agreement.

Guardromon strode forwards, arms raised horizontally. "You foul beast! That fowl was to be ours! I shall avenge it!"

Growlmon had other ideas, stepping between in front of Guardromon before he could fire any rockets. "We can't hurt it." he argued.

Takato felt like he was having deja vu as he watched the sleeping Guilmon. "It's just a baby." he realized.

"What?" Kazu asked, looking at him as though he just said the sky were green.

"Think about it." he pleaded, the gears in his brain turning. "When a baby gets hungry, it cries. Guilmon did the same thing practically when he went around stealing food from the cafeteria after I made him."

"I was lonely too," the Champion Digimon reminded him.

"I don't even know what to do now," Kazu said after pondering the situation for a few minutes. "It ate the dinner we were going to have. But...having two Guilmons would be just so freaking awesome!"

Takato crept towards the sleeping Digimon, hesitantly putting a hand between its ears. The Guilmon opened its eyes, immediately shying away. "Growlmon, I need you to Dedigivolve. Maybe it'll be more comfortable if it sees you."

Growlmon nodded before being enveloped in a swirling light. Guilmon stepped out, standing next to Takato.

"How're we gonna tell them apart?" Kazu asked.

 _That's a good question_. He ran his hand through his hair, ramming into his goggles. He wore them so much he tended to forget they were there. _Wait a minute._

He removed his goggles and placed them onto Guilmon's head. "There you go. Now you're a Tamer and the Digimon," he joked.

Guilmon waddled over to his look alike. Seeing another one of it's kind, the other Guilmon gave a cautious sniff.

"Hello! Do you want to play?" Guilmon asked excitedly.

"H-h-hello." The other Guilmon copied, saying the word shakily. It rubbed its head onto Guilmon's chest, content.

"Looks like someone made a friend." Takato commented.

"So cool," Kazu said in awe.

"Can we keep it Takato?" Guilmon pleaded. He was currently attempting to come closer to his Tamer, but his new friend was determined to stay far away from the alien life forms it didn't recognize.

"I dunno." _I mean, Guilmon was certainly a handful. But I only created ONE Guilmon. How is there another? I'd really like to know how this happened_. "Alright Guilmon. We can keep it."

"Yay!" Guilmon exclaimed loudly. He walked over to Takato, a skip in his step. Takato merely smiled before giving his partner a pet on the head.

Seeing that it's friend didn't combust into a pile of flames after being touched made the Guilmon curious. It "stealthily" began to advance before it was right behind Guilmon.

No matter how patient they were, neither Kazu, nor Takato were able to touch the new Digimon. They didn't try too hard, they didn't want to scare it. But they were still disappointed it didn't trust them more.

 _I hope the others aren't having too much trouble with their Fields. Pretty sure we got the easiest one of the bunch._

Since their new friend didn't trust anyone but Guilmon, Digivolving Guilmon and riding him was out of the question.

"Kazu, I'm thinking you and Guardromon go on without us. Me and Guilmon need to figure out what to do. We can't exactly go back to the park. Now we need to figure out what to do."

"Ooh, solo mission. Let's do this Guardromon!"

The champion valiantly banged his chest, securely shutting his compartment. "We must not let our sacrifice be in vain!" he declared. The two of them set off, headed towards the hospital.

Takato looked at his partner. "You have any ideas?"

"No. I'm just glad to not be alone anymore."

It never occurred to him that Guilmon would be lonely. _He has me._ But he realized that until now, Guilmon had been the only one of his kind. Despite having friends, Guilmon probably felt different.

"I'm glad too Guilmon. Now let's get out of here before the two of you eat everything in this market," he joked.

* * *

 **EDIT: Alrighty friends. So I updated the story by putting in this chapter earlier. However, as I was looking through it, a few words had mysteriously disappeared, and all my formatting decided to take a hike. If anyone knows how to avoid this, I really appreciate it, just spent an hour redoing it all. Thank you all so much! See you next Friday :D**


	13. Aromatherapy

"Hey Foxface, what's the holdup?" Beelzemon demanded. He could feel his patience wearing thin as he continued to wait for his comrade.

Kyubimon burst into view, Rika on her back. "You know I am not as fast as you," she replied coolly. "We do not all have wings like yours."

"I know I'd like to have wings," Ai sighed dreamily. "Flying here with Impmon was amazing.

"The name's Beelzemon," he growled. But he knew he couldn't stay mad at them. They were still learning how to pronounce his Mega form name. He was also known as Impmon in their hearts, and that wouldn't change. But he couldn't let _them_ know that.

"Do me a favor and keep an eye on the squirts," he asked looking at Rika. He ruffled Ai and Mako's hair before turning his back to them.

"But Impmon!" Mako protested. "I wanna watch you fight! You're really good at beating the bad guys up!"

"I can do that better when I don't have ta keep an eye on the two of you." He hefted his gun arm into the air. "Hey Foxface, I sense a large amount of power. Be careful."

"The great Beelzemon telling me to be careful?" she mocked. "My my." He knew she could sense it though. Her fur was practically standing on end.

Rika wrapped her arms around both Ai and Mako. "Good luck," she said cheerfully. However, the way she glared at him told him he would be in trouble for having her look after his kids. She did always prefer to be where the action was, like himself.

Beelzemon and Kyubimon walked side by side, deep into the heart of the fog. There was no need for idle chatter when there was a Digimon on the loose.

Movement caught by the corner of his eye caused him to stop. "I think we've been found." He growled. Kyubimon nodded tensely in agreement.

The two of them stood back to back, waiting for their enemy to make the first move.

They would not be disappointed. A large bonelike talon slashed out towards Kyubimon. Beelzemon managed to react faster, enough to block it with his gun arm, knocking the talon backwards.

"I thought you seemed familiar," he taunted. "I should've known it'd be you, Gryphonmon."

Gryphonmon's wings flapped, creating a fogless pocket. Beelzemon and Kyubimon were finally able to see clearly.

The horrific mish mashed Digimon glared at them through beady eyes. "You two," it cried in recognition. "I see you've grown stronger. Especially you, little Yaamon," she sneered.

"I'd rather forget about those days," Beelzemon growled. _I don't need to remember how powerless I was back then._ He clenched his fists. _Gotta beat this punk onto the ground. For CocoaPuff._

"What brings you to the human world?" Kyubimon asked suspiciously.

"The Digital World is no longer hospitable for us. Attempting to repair it was fool's dream. It is time to move on." Gryphonmon flashed an evil grin at Kyubimon. "Starting with you."

"Not on my watch." Beelzemon interjected, stepping in front of Kyubimon. "Let's make this short and sweet." he stated, looking back at her.

"You think you can be rid of me so easily?" the Gryphonmon laughed. "Solo Roar!" she exclaimed. She opened her mouth, releasing a series of high frequency sound waves.

Beelzemon desperately attempted to cover his ears, but it did nothing to muffle the attack. His data began to fizzle, falling apart and recongealing frequently. He had to focus on staying together so intently, he fell to his knees. "Such a horrible voice," he joked darkly.

Kyubimon was much worse, being a Champion, she was unable to take too much damage. Being a lower level than him, she was clearly suffering at a higher rate. Kyubimon fell to her side her data almost disappearing entirely. She managed to gather the strength to not fade, but not to stand.

"Guess it's up ta me," Beelzemon grunted, taking more effort than he liked to stand. _As I was saying before, I need to keep this short._ He used his arm to aim his gun at Gryphonmon. "Corona Blaster!"

A large green laser was fired, the recoil knocking Beelzemon backwards. He shakily returned to his feet, unable to see if his attack hit. Smoke wafted into the air, making it difficult to see Gryphonmon.

Eventually, the smoke cleared, Gryphonmon nowhere to be seen. "Legendary Claw!" they called out from their unknown location.

Having an unpleasant thought, Beelzemon looked above him. However, it was too late. Gryphonmon's attack hit it's mark, hitting him head on.

He was thrown backwards, his body skidding across the pavement. The feathers from his wings were practically falling out, he was a plucked turkey. "It's a bad day to be me," he managed to sputter.

Gryphonmon walked slowly towards Kyubimon, probably to upload her data no doubt. Beelzemon didn't have too many options left. He was too weak to stand. Gryphonmon were notorious for possessing high offense, he could see why now.

He managed to reach towards his ankle with a great deal of difficulty, grabbing a smaller gun from the holster he kept there. "No need to forget me," he challenged. When the Gryphonmon turned to look down upon him, he pulled the trigger.

A small volley of green energy bullets found their mark, peppering the Mega's face. "You will pay dearly for that," Gryphonmon snarled, outraged.

She strode over towards him, rolling him over with one of her talons. "You put up a good fight, I have nothing against you personally," she said solemnly. "But I must get stronger. I must survive." Gryphonmon rose her talon, swinging downward to deliver the finishing blow.

"Desolation Claw," rasped a certain Ultimate. Purple claws plunged through the Mega's chest. Gryphonmon could only look down in shock as she began to disintegrate.

Cyberdramon growled, hovering in the air as he absorbed the Mega's data. Finished, he drifted towards the pavement.

"Nice of ya ta drop by," Beelzemon greeted. Cyberdramon paid him no heed. _It's always the strong silent types that save me. Must be my irresistible charm._ He looked over towards Kyubimon. "You alright Toots?" he asked, concerned she hadn't moved in a while.

"I am fine Beelzemon," she assured. Kyubimon's data had managed to stabilize, the Champion attempting to stand. It took her four tries before she was able to shakily prop herself onto her feet.

"Ya don't look fine to me," he accused. He knew when Digimon and people were lying. Especially when it came naturally to him. She was far from fine. Sure he was lying to her, but that was a totally different situation. He too was in rough shape, but compared to her, he was much better off. As if to prove him right, she slumped to the ground.

He cautiously tested flapping his wings before launching himself into the air and landing in front of her. Kneeling down, he offered her his hand. "C'mon. Lose the tails and I'll take you back to your Tamer."

Surprisingly, Kyubimon didn't put up an argument. She complied, reverting to her Rookie form. Beelzemon scooped her off the ground, carrying her back to where he had left Rika with Ai and Mako.

Cyberdramon had beat them there, waiting with Ryo, Kenta and MarineAngemon. However, as Beelzemon swooped in, there was an unfamiliar figure.

It was about Guilmon's height, so it must've been a Rookie. The Digimon in question had a fox like shape much like Renamon, but shorter and bulkier. They had a purple coat of fur, including a white tipped muzzle, paws, and tail. A red rubylike stone was set into its forehead, seeming a bit out of place. Small black batlike wings extended from the Digimon's back. Amber eyes glared at him.

"Who's the new kid?" he asked, landing next to Rika and setting Renamon onto the ground.

"Actually, we don't know," Ryo shrugged. "Our Digivices can't seem to scan him. What a surprise."

"He didn't really want to attack us either, so we figured we'd just bring him along with us. I thought maybe this was Jeri's new partner or something." Kenta explained.

"It would certainly make sense," Rika piped up. "She really needs to move on." She put her arm over Renamon's shoulders and hoisted her up, allowing Renamon to lean onto her.

"Rika told me you guys had to fight a powerful Digimon, so I sent Cyberdramon to lend a hand. The fog's gone, so I assume they're gone too?" Ryo asked.

"Eh, nothing we couldn't handle," Beelzemon shrugged casually.

"It was Gryphonmon," Renamon informed.

"You mean the same one that was protecting the village back in the Digital World?" Rika asked. Renamon nodded.

"She's gone now," Beelzemon assured.

"He did a great job," Renamon agreed. "Gryphonmon was ruthless."

"What happens now?" Ai asked, curious.

"I'm gonna take you munchkins home," he replied. He walked towards his Tamers, extending his hand to them.

"But we didn't get to do anything fun today!" Mako complained. Tears were welling into his eyes. "I didn't get to see you kick bad guy butt."

"You'll see it next time," Ryo cheered. "Beelzemon had a rough time. The best thing you can do is take him home and take care of him. Think you can do that?"

"Okay…" he sadly agreed, wiping his eyes. Mako looked up at Beelzemon. "Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, let's go kid." The Mega Digimon easily grabbed both of his Tamers, hoisting them onto his shoulders.

"Hold on Beelzemon." Kenta meekly called out.

Beelzemon mentally sighed. _What now? "_ I ain't got all day. What?"

"Um Takato sent me a text and wanted you to go help him out. He's kind of stranded at the supermarket. Me and MarineAngemon would be happy to take Ai and Mako home."

 _Ugh. I regret being the only Digimon with wings now._ His thoughts turned to Cyberdramon. _The only one with a brain anyways._ _Guess they'll be alright with Four-Eyes._ "Yeah yeah, whatever. Stay safe you two!" he called to the twins before flying off into the distance.

The city beneath him was quite busy. Despite it only being early evening, many cars roamed the streets, people eager to get home for work, or go out to eat. These were the times of day that Beelzemon despised. When he had been living on his own, he had tormented so many humans, even injuring a few with his obnoxious pranks.

Ever since the D-Reaper, he'd been wracked with guilt, feeding his nightmares, plaguing the better part of his days. He had been a monster, living up to the literal term of Digimon. When he saw all those huge crowds, families bonding or parents neglecting their children due to work, it brought him back to those sour memories.

He tried to avoid crowds as a result, but he knew he couldn't run forever. He'd done a lot of bad things in his life. However, there was a single person he'd never be able to forget. Someone who no matter how much time had passed, no matter what events transpired, he'd never be able to forgive himself for how much he hurt them. Jeri.

He had been nothing but cruel to her and her friends. It only got worse after he had gone crazy with his lust for power and murdered Leomon in cold blood. That had been the one time he was glad Pineapple Head had managed to give him a serious beatdown. After returning to the human world, he had attempted to rescue Jeri from the D-Reaper, but had also failed at that. Working with the others, Tamers, Takato had managed to rescue her, but that didn't make his feelings of failure and guilt suddenly evaporate.

Jeri had insisted she had forgiven him, but he still saw her being sad now and then. Like him, she had grown well into hiding her emotions. They were alike in many ways.

Swooping down, he landed into the plaza that was the supermarket. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, fog still drifted throughout the air, convincing him that the Digimon was still roaming the area.

 _Better find them before I have nothing but Pineapple juice._ It amazed Beelzemon just how strong Guilmon was at times. When he had been possessed by the dark powers Caturamon had given him, he'd never in his wildest dreams imagine that Takato and Guilmon would be able to fight back the way that they had.

To be fair though, it wasn't the dark powers alone that had caused him to lose control. His previous beliefs of humans only viewing Digimon as tools had burned brightly in his mind, consuming all logic and reason. He had so desperately wanted to Digivolve, to prove he didn't need a human to further his own strength.

"Thank goodness you're here Beelzemon," called Takato, scampering into his view. His clothes were scuffed and his goggles were missing, otherwise he seemed unharmed. He rubbed the back of his head, a smile on his face. "I don't know how much longer I could've kept them from destroying all the stalls," he explained.

"What're you blabbing about now?" Beelzemon asked, confused.

"Uh yeah… We kinda have two Guilmons now," he blurted.

 _Two Pineappleheads?_ "What?" he asked in disbelief.

"Two Guilmons," Takato repeated. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it too," he confessed. The Tamer inhaled deeply. "Guilmon!" he summoned.

On cue, a red blur crashed into Takato, sending the Tamer tumbling to the ground. For reasons unknown, the Digimon was wearing Takato's goggles. "Yeah Takato?" the Digimon asked.

"I just wanted to introduce-" Takato stopped mid sentence. "Where did it go?"

Guilmon gazed out towards a rather sorry looking meatball stall. "Come out and play?" he begged.

"Ya know, you're gonna have ta lie better than this to drag me out here and give the two of you a ride home," Beelzemon accused.

"But Beelzemon, she's just shy," Guilmon pleaded, handing Takato his goggles back with a bit of difficulty.

"She?" Takato sputtered.

"If there's another Guilmon, I'm the tooth fairy." He gave a bitter laugh. However, it was cut short when a red Digimon slowly crept into view. _Well I'll be damned._

A red dragon-like Digimon with yellow eyes, wing-like ears, a long and strong tail, cautiously hid behind Guilmon, scared to be in plain sight apparently. On each of its large hands, the Digimon has paws and three fingers with long claws; and on each foot has two clawed toes and a claw coming out from the heel. An exact replica of Guilmon, if a bit smaller and thinner.

"Where's my five dollars tooth fairy?" Takato snidely remarked, a smug grin plastered onto his face.

* * *

"So, you have a name?" he asked, attempting to get an answer. However, just as he expected, his question was only met with silence.

"I wouldn't waste my time, Ryo," Rika scoffed.

MarineAngemon hovered in front of Renamon, firing a stream of small, pink, heart shaped bubbles. They melted into the Rookie's skin, instantly stabilizing her data and removing any injuries she had accumulated.

"Thank you," Renamon gratefully muttered. She removed her arm from her Tamer, now able to evenly stand on her feet. "What's your reason for coming to the human world?" she directed at the newcomer.

"You're going to have to say something at some point," Ryo persisted. He didn't want to admit it, but the Digimon greatly intrigued him. When he and Kenta had stumbled upon it, Cyberdramon had very shockingly, not attacked it. This had been new to him, as Cyberdramon usually tried to attack just about anything that drew breath.

The Digimon simply glared at both humans and Digimon alike, it's jaw clamped shut. It's tail swished back and forth, indicating its apparent frustration.

"What do we do now?" Kenta asked. "I sent Henry a text, and he seemed a bit distracted. But he said that his Field was closed and that we should probably go home."

"They're all gone?" Rika demanded. She sounded a bit angry. _Probably still mad at Beelzemon for having her sit back._

"Yeah," confirmed Kenta. "He said Kazu helped them close their Field, Takato closed his, and me and Ryo closed ours. Obviously you and Beelzemon did this one, so we should be alright."

"Sounds like a plan," Ryo agreed. He knew that he was pretty beat after today. He wasn't in the same class as his friends, but he did go to the same school. After the evacuation earlier, he had stayed behind to try and pick up some clues about the teacher that had attacked Kazu. However, he had chased rumors and only found dead end after dead end.

Kenta grabbed MarineAngemon before rushing off in the direction of his house. "Sorry guys," he hollered as he ran. "My parents are really worried after what happened at school. They think I was in the class and was there when everything happened. I need to go tell them I'm alright. I'll see you guys tomorrow!" With that, he turned the corner and was out of sight, Ai and Mako obediently following the scatterbrained Tamer.

"Need help getting home Wildcat?" he asked Rika. They were pretty close to her house, being near the hospital.

"No," she snarled bitterly. She and Renamon began walking away, not bothering to even bid him a goodbye.

 _Ouch. Guess she is still mad about yesterday._ He gave a mental sigh before following her.

They walked a few steps before Rika finally turned around to glare at him. "Scram."

"Come on. Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the shifts over at the park."

"You were only following orders," she sneered. " I can't blame you for not telling classified information to a wildcard like me."

 _I hate seeing her like this. But she had every right to be mad at me. I should have told her everything when we started things like this._ "I'll give you a free swing at me," he bargained.

Not even two seconds after the words left his mouth, Rika gave him a swift uppercut to the jaw, knocking him backwards to the ground.

"Rika!" Renamon exclaimed in shock.

"It's alright Renamon," he consoled. The Digimon King slowly rose to his feet, patting down his pants to relieve it of the dust that clung to them. He wiped his face, staring at the trickle of blood that was smeared onto his fingers.

"You're right, I do feel better." she said, her tone of voice losing its menace. Rika dug around in her pockets before handing him a napkin. "Here, this should help. Good thing I kept one from lunch."

Ryo put the napkin to his face. "Thanks. You got me pretty good." His face was stinging a bit, but he was glad she didn't seem mad anymore. In fact, she seemed to be smiling. She was trying to hide it, but he could definitely tell the difference between a grumpy Rika and a happy Rika.

"You humans just get stranger and stranger," Renamon mused. "However, you are much more similar to us than you think, solving arguments with a brawl now and then."

"Careful," he cautioned, adjusting his makeshift bandage on his face. He was currently looking at the bushes off of the concrete path they were standing on.

Cyberdramon simply huffed, clearly not sensing a threat. Ryo knew to trust his partner's primal instincts, and lowered his guard. Cyberdramon may go berzerk constantly, but his intuition was top notch, and certainly had its perks.

A small white cat made its appearance known, cautiously creeping up towards Renamon. Giving the Rookie a sniff, it decided she was friendly enough and wrapped itself around her feet, rubbing its head against her legs.

"Making friends Renamon?" Rika asked, her eyebrows raised.

 _I should let her punch me more often. This is the best mood I've seen her in ages._ "Animals definitely seem to like Digimon. Just last week, a group of puppies followed Cyberdramon home. We had to feed them before my dad got home and found out. Puppies do tend to follow other puppies though."

The Ultimate growled, snapping in his Tamer's direction. He crossed his arms, avoiding his Tamer's gaze, lifting his snout into the air in an aloof style.

"There is something odd about this cat," Renamon observed, seeming puzzled. The feline was now scenting the air, slyly looking in Cyberdramon's direction. "It does not smell like a normal cat, yet it does not smell like a Digimon either." Cyberdramon gave a grunt of agreement.

"Maybe we should take it back? I bet Henry would like to see what it is." Ryo suggested.

As though sensing the growing excitement of its audience, the cat suddenly leapt away, diving into the bush it once came from.

"There goes that option," Ryo sighed. "I really need to stop talking sometimes. I keep jinxing everything," he laughed in embarrassment.

Rika gave a half hearted shrug. "Time for me and Renamon to disappear. Gotta go argue for my dignity."

"Her mother is attempting to have her come to a photo shoot," Renamon stated, clearly enjoying the flustered anger she was feeling.

"If you get stuck doing it, you'll look great," he encouraged.

"Yeah right," she muttered before walking away, Renamon in tow. The Rookie looked back at Ryo, giving him a knowing wink. He nodded in return, still smugly smiling. _When had Renamon started gossiping?_

"Ready to go home?" he asked his partner, turning towards the Ultimate dragon Digimon. However, Cyberdramon seemed reluctant, giving an intense annoyed growl. "What's wrong?" He scanned the area, his eyes landing on a certain foreign Digimon. "Whoops, forgot you were even here. Should've spoken up," he joked.

The Digimon as expected did not reply, only continuing to glare at him with its amber eyes. Ryo sighed in defeat. "Guess you'll just have to come home with us then. I'll just have to convince dad you aren't here permanently." He turned to his partner. "That position has been filled."

Ryo watched as the Digimon raised it's head toward the sky, sniffing the air. The purple foxlike creature raced off in a direction, quickly abandoning him and Cyberdramon. He looked at his partner before releasing yet another sigh. _What, do I smell or something?_ " I officially declare today 'Ryo shall be quiet and not jinx anyone Day.'" _Looks like dad will have something to celebrate. He'll not have to listen as I go on and on about my journey into the Digital World, as it seems to be all I talk about._

Cyberdramon simply huffed before allowing Ryo onto his back, flying them home.

His house was very quiet when Cyberdramon landed on his front lawn. His house was not very big, but it was far from small. It boasted a front yard, a backyard, and two stories of the quaint household his father maintained. Both yards were small, but neatly kept.

The front yard was dedicated to his mother who had passed when he was very young. He heard stories from his father that she had used to love gardening, the front courtyard flourishing with the tulips she had planted. They were all him and his father had left of her. His father looked after them religiously, manualing removing every weed that threatened them and watering them daily. Reds,oranges, pinks and whites, it was a real life field of dreams.

Ryo gazed at them as he strolled up to his front door, Cyberdramon behind him. "Dad should be grocery shopping, so we'll have the house to ourselves," he explained. He turned the knob, opening the door a crack.

"Ryo," Cyberdramon growled. The large dragon pushed him out of the door, Ryo being shoved by his partner. The Digimon threw open the door and stomped upstairs, Ryo hot on his heels.

Cyberdramon charged into his room, all but breaking Ryo's door. "Dad?" Ryo asked.

His father was sitting on his bed, hunched over. Hearing his voice, he turned towards them. His eyes were red, his face glistening with tears. Ryo sniffed the air, the smell of alcohol pungent. As expected, a bottle of whiskey was in his hand. "Ryo!" his father exclaimed. He stumbled over, embracing him in a sloppy hug.

Ryo had to stand up straight to support his drunken dad. "C'mon dad, let's get you to bed." he suggested, attempting to lug his dad into his own room. However, given his father's posture, he was just to awkward and heavy to move.

Cyberdramon snatched at his father, wrapping an arm around him and throwing him onto his shoulder. Ryo's dad struggled, thrashing to get free. "Ryo," he slurred. "Don't leave me!" He began pounding his fists against the bulk of the Ultimate Digimon.

Cyberdramon bared his teeth, giving a frustrated snarl. He opened and closed his muzzle, fighting his instinct to attack. Ryo could tell his partner would not be able to control himself for much longer.

"Cyberdramon obey!" he commanded, lashing his Digivice at his partner. A blue energy like whip materialized, wrapping itself around his mouth. The Digimon dropped his father to the floor with a loud thud, now clawing at what bound his teeth. "C'mon, work with me," Ryo asked through gritted teeth.

The Digimon paid him no heed, struggling to free itself. Ryo could only watch as his partner viscously assaulted the energy.. His father was openly weeping curling up into a ball on the floor. The bottle of whiskey lay discarded, the sticky liquid pouring everywhere. It would take a long forty minutes before Cyberdramon became tired enough to submit. He fell to the ground, his chest rising and falling with laboured breathing. Cyberdramon had expended so much energy, he was enveloped in a bright light, the light fading to reveal Monodramon.

Ryo lowered his arm, tired from having to hold up his Digivice in order to control Cyberdramon. "Glad to see your feeling better," he directed at Monodramon.

The Rookie gave a weary smile. "I'm sorry. He was attacking me and I just couldn't help it. I should've been able to hold back. I had no-" Ryo rubbed his head affectionately.

"Don't worry about it. Just do me a favor and sleep on the couch tonight. I need to take care of dad." The Digimon seemed to hesitate. "I'll be just fine," Ryo reassured. Still not seeming convinced, the Digimon gave a nod before exiting the room, sidestepping the broken door.

Ryo crept towards his dad, crouched in front of him, and put an arm on his shoulder. "Dad," he whispered.

The dejected man's eyes snapped open, gaping at him. "Ryo," he gasped. "You're okay." He desperately crawled onto his hands in knees and gave him a hug. "The monster didn't take you away again."

"Let's go to sleep," he suggested again, giving his father's arms a tug. He complied, allowing Ryo to gently get him off the ground and onto his bed. Ryo doubted his father could've made it down the stairs into his own room. He pulled back the covers and tucked his dad into bed. He was about to retreat downstairs, but a hand stopped him.

"I can't lose you. Not again, not after I've lost everyone else," he sobbed, tears falling down his face. " I can't lose him. I can't lose him," he muttered to himself, repeating the phrase over and over again.

Ryo climbed into bed and got under the covers on the otherside, embracing his dad in a much needed hug. "I'm right here dad," he attempted to console. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Ryo leaving for the Digital World had hit his dad really hard. His dad was normally very strong, however he was still human. All humans had to break eventually. He never saw his dad like this often, but when he did, he had to do everything he could do to make his father comfortable. Everytime his dad cried, everytime his dad drank, it broke his heart a little more.

 _Why did I have to be so selfish? He had already been mourning mom, now he's terrified I'll leave again. I've hurt him too much._

He continued to hug his dad, attempting to console him as he continued to shudder as he sobbed. "I'm right here," Ryo repeated softly.

He gazed out the window at the setting sun, the soft light shining through the window. The view from the window was spectacular at this time of day. They couldn't be seen, but Ryo imagined his mother's tulips, their soft petals, their enticing aroma. When he had been younger, as bizarre as it was, he used to get home from school, sit in the front yard, and talk to the flowers. He'd tell them about his day, his dreams, his fears, anything that came to mind. In a way, those tulips _were_ his mother.

 _Wherever you are mom, I hope you're comfortable. Happy Birthday._

* * *

Sweat was a body's way of cooling down if it's temperature got too high. The sweat gland would secrete water the body stored.

Donald hated everything to do with sweat.

It was just a big inconvenience. He was currently swimming in sweat. If it were a currency, he'd be the wealthiest duck alive. He'd be sleeping in a king sized bed, eating five course dinners, driving Daisy around in a fancy car, he'd be king of the world.

The Champion Digimon shook his head. _No. I can't afford to be distracted._ His focus was strained however. That's what happens when an all powerful Magician continually casts a binding spell for a whole ten days. Not having a wand to amplify his magical powers, he'd been forced to outstretch his wings and attempt to channel it himself.

He didn't know how long he would manage to keep going. Goofy had been a great deal of help, getting items he needed, patrolling the area for Heartless and bystanders, even massaging his aching wings from time to time.

The remains of the stone hut in the park he'd been taking shelter in seemed to be constricting him. He'd never been scared of small spaces, but he was either becoming claustrophobic, or stir crazy. Knowing him, he had a healthy dose of both.

The crunching of grass alerted him that Goofy was coming.

"You get them?" he rasped, his throat dry from severe dehydration.

The yellow dog stepped into view, nodding. Behind him, he lugged a large black garbage bag. Despite the large bulk it contained, he set it down as gently as he could.

"About time," he snapped exhaustedly.

Goofy shuffled around the hut, grabbing a discarded frying pan and pilot flame he had "borrowed" days before. Although, knowing Goofy, Donald was sure his friend had left the Munny for it.

Setting the pan onto the rack above the flame, he waited for it to heat up. Digging around in the bag he brought, Goofy revealed a plastic bottle of water. He managed to unscrew the cap and got closer to Donald.

Donald in turn opened his beak, allowing Goofy to pour the water down his throat. It was lukewarm and had a weird taste, but he was grateful for the liquid that rushed down his aching throat. "Thanks Goofy," he acknowledged. The dog nodded happily.

Returning to the makeshift "kitchen," Goofy seemed to decide that the pan was hot enough, retrieving an egg carton from the bag of endless wonders. He flipped open the lid and selected three brown eggs, cracking them open against the rim of the pan. Bright orange yolks flew into the pan, sizzling on contact with the hot metal surface.

 _Farm fresh eggs. Good, the wilder the better._ At the smell of food cooking, his hunger began to gnaw at his stomach once again. "How much longer?" Donald demanded. Goofy shrugged undecidedly, using a worn out rubber spatula to attempt to flip the eggs. The first two eggs he flipped perfectly, two beautiful golden brown egg patties. However, the third one stuck to the pan, becoming a scrunched up mess.

Donald sighed in defeat. He was very glad he had taught Goofy the basics of how to cook. However, now he was rushing his friend, causing him to make mistakes. Mistakes that couldn't afford to be made. _It should be alright though. Two out of three is at least majority. The third one will help, just not as much as it could've._

Goofy seemed upset, causing Donald to feel guilty. "I'm sorry Goofy, you're doing a great job," he apologized. However, the dog only shook his head. Despite always seeming happy, Goofy looked like he wanted to cry. Despite being trapped near the keyhole for so long, they'd had wonderful conversations, even if Donald was the only one that could actually speak. Of the numerous topics, only one would get Goofy this worked up. "Sora?" he asked.

He nodded, giving the eggs a dejected poke. Concluding they were done, Goofy pulled out a disposable wooden plate, piling the eggs onto it. Walking over, he sat next to Donald, putting the eggs onto the ground as they waited for them to cool off.

"We'll find him Goofy. He's not gone. He just can't be. He's come back before, remember?" Donald urged. He knew he certainly remembered.

Sora had sacrificed himself to save them and Kairi. He had turn himself into Heartless to allow her heart to return to her body. Sora had never really been able to explain what being a Heartless had been like, but Donald had taken comfort in knowing the fact that it was possible for a Heartless to return to normal. It helped solidify his reasons to keep fighting, knowing that one day, everything will go back to normal.

Goofy nodded sadly, still not looking convinced. But he seemed to hold onto the hope that they'd find Sora one day. For all they know, he could be back at his home in Destiny Islands, hanging out with his friends Riku and Kairi. Or he could be back in Traverse Town, a hub for where curious characters to congregate when they had nowhere else to go.

The strain of using his magic was definitely taking its toll on him. He'd thought he wouldn't be able to hold strong for three days, let alone ten. Sure, he could keep replenishing his magic supply, but he could do nothing to slow the deterioration of his physical and mental strength. His wings were shuddering with sheer exhaustion, and his head felt like he'd been bonked one too many times with a sledgehammer.

The eggs seemed cool enough, as Goofy scooped up the plate and shoveled the food down Donald's awaiting mouth. He swallowed enthusiastically, savoring the taste of fried eggs. Despite eating all three eggs in consecutive bites, his stomach continued to roar, demanding more sustenance. Goofy gave a mute laugh, amused by the fuss his stomach was making. He returned to the pan, readying a few more eggs.

As expected, Donald could feel his magic returning, the energy slowly seeping into his body, and being carried through his wings only to be expelled. An hour, a day, maybe even a week, Donald didn't know how much longer he could keep going before he passed out. He didn't know a lot of things; such as where Sora was, or how Daisy and the King were doing. But there was one thing he was absolutely one hundred percent certain of.

He was going to need a lot more eggs.


	14. It's Time to D-d-duel

**Greetings my wonderful Readers. I apologize for the late upload time and the short chapter length. I have been sick with the flu all week, and have been miserable. I've been too loopy on medication and too tired to write a single word. I felt a little better today, and I would just feel absolutely terrible if I didn't post something. This is a little short, but I'll make up for it next chapter by making it a little longer. Now then, I have a question for you my pretties. How do you guys feel about the pacing of this story. Earlier on, I was worried I was going to slow. Now that we're starting to get into the interesting plot points, I'm worried I'm going too fast, shoving too much information your way and such. I'd love to hear some good honest criticism. :D**

* * *

The melody of birds singing aroused him in a comforting manner. Ryo cracked his eyes open slowly, not feeling the immediate rush to leave his warm inviting bed. It wasn't until he realized he was alone in his room that he opened his eyes wide. _Where's Dad?_ He swung his legs to the edge of his bed, standing up and investigating the room.

The door was still in splinters, many pieces laying on the ground. If he wanted to leave his room, he'd need to wear his shoes if he didn't want to get any nasty splinters. That wouldn't seem to be too much a problem though. He looked down and realized he was wearing the clothes he had worn yesterday. He was even wearing his shoes. Last night HAD been crazy though.

His father would get very emotional when it came to holidays. However, yesterday had been the worst. Ryo had been so busy, he had totally forgotten it was his mother's birthday until he had returned home to find his dad crying in his room. He too would get emotional, but he couldn't let his dad know that. He needed someone solid to hold onto. Ryo needed to keep him anchored. It was the least he could do after he had abandoned his family three years ago to explore the Digital World with Monodramon.

Ryo gave a tedious yawn, feeling sluggish despite his racing thoughts. The rest of his room was a disaster. The whiskey his father had been drinking had seeped into his carpet, leaving a sticky stain. He gave his room a second glance, realizing it actually wasn't bad. His clothes drawers may be open, but everything inside was still neatly folded. His father had been a drill sergeant when it came to keeping a clutter free room.

He carefully stepped around the splintered remains of his door before shuffling down the stairs and going to the kitchen. His brain gave a mental sigh of relief when he saw his dad sitting at the kitchen table. His father was leaned over a steaming mug of black coffee, his hands cupping his forehead as his elbows supported his body. His head shifted a bit when he saw Ryo. "Aspirin," he groaned.

"Sure thing dad," he nodded. He walked over to the sink and had to stand on his tiptoes to reach the cabinet above it. He swung the door open to reveal it full of medical supplies for everyday use. Unable to see the labels, he felt around until his fingers grazed the familiar square bottle of aspirin. Lowering himself, he shut the small door and brought the bottle to his father.

His dad unscrewed the cap before placing two tablets onto his tongue and taking a swig of coffee. "It's going to be a long day with this hangover," he muttered. Despite complaining, he slowly rose to his feet, taking his precious hot beverage with him. "You look like a mess. Go take a shower," his father directed.

 _Like you're in much better shape._ Ryo was tempted to give a rant, but he held his tongue and trudged back upstairs. He wandered back into his room, headed towards his already open clothes drawers. They were shut as he pulled out the clothes he would need for the day. Satisfied, Ryo fled his room and roamed into their spacious bathroom.

The bathroom had a pleasant atmosphere, the window having been left open to allow fresh air to enter. The walls were decorated with teal wallpaper, little dark blue fish "swimming" along the walls. The slate grey tiles were cool to the touch as Ryo began to take his shoes socks, and other articles of clothing off. The bathroom consisted of a toilet, a sink, a clothes hamper, a cabinet under the sink for towels, and a shower.

Turning the water on, he hopped into the shower and took a brisk cold shower. Normally, he'd like to take a hot shower and relax, but he had felt like he was going to fall asleep again, and didn't want to risk it. The water definitely sharpened his sense, it was so cold in contrast to his warm sleepy body he couldn't help but give a small yelp due to the drastic temperature difference. However, once the water washed over his hair and back, he grew accustomed to it, allowing himself to relax a small amount.

He blindly grasped at the shampoo bottle and managed to lather his hair with ease before giving himself a good rinse. Feeling his hair was clean enough, he turned the water off and stepped out, grabbing a towel from a nearby towel rack. Drying himself, he put on his new set of clothes, threw his old set into the dirty clothes hamper, and returned downstairs.

He was greeted by a comforting aroma as he entered the kitchen. To his utter shock, a warm plate was sitting at the table, piled high with pancakes drizzled in maple syrup. Monodramon was already finishing off his own plate of pancakes, syrup coating his face. His father was leaning against the counter as he watched the stove top where a fresh batch of pancakes were currently cooking.

"They're still warm," he suggested when he saw Ryo standing in the doorway.

"You made pancakes?" Ryo asked, sitting at the table. A fork and a knife were already there, so he grabbed them and eagerly dug in. The pancakes were a bit doughy, but they tasted good nonetheless.

His father gave the pancakes a flip before sitting at the table across from Ryo. He folded his hands together, setting his chin on them. "I'm sorry for the state you found me in last night. It was a rough time for both of us, and I wasn't strong enough to be the father you needed." Despite the tense moment, Monodramon continued to snarf down his breakfast, licking his face to try and remove every delectable drop of syrup that was stuck to it.

Ryo couldn't help but give a snort as he watched his partner fumble with the pancakes. "I'd never peg you to be a pancake connoisseur, Monodramon," Ryo joked. His partner cocked his head.

"What's that mean?"

"It just means you really like pancakes," Ryo laughed, not wanting to confuse him. He was happy Monodramon was being carefree for once. He was usually on guard and on high alert when he was in his normal form.

His father was still solemnly gazing at him, causing Ryo's smile to fall. "I know dad. I know it's been hard lately. Don't worry about it."

Not really having much to say, he watched his dad rise from the table and stride over towards the stove top, rescuing his portion of breakfast. Flipping them onto the plate, he poured a steady stream of syrup from a nearby bottle, and returned to the table. "So," he began uncertainly. The two of them didn't talk too much these days. Ryo was usually wrapped up with homework and his Tamer duties, his father working his job for most of the day. " I hear a teacher attacked a student. This didn't have anything to do with you did it?"

"Not really dad. But the student he attacked was one of my friends, Kazu. I tried to do a bit of investigating, but I came up empty handed." He looked down at his nearly empty plate, feeling ashamed of himself. _I should've worked harder to find some sort of clues. Kazu could've been seriously hurt._

"I hope he's alright." his father mused. "I don't need you and those friends of yours getting into more trouble. I can barely keep up as it is now," he explained, directing his gaze to Monodramon.

"Trouble will always find us dad. We can't keep running forever."

The cheery mood seemed to evaporate, even Monodramon was staring morbidly at his syrup covered plate.

"I know," his father said after a few silent moments. His tone of voice was filled with weary acceptance and resignation. "But that doesn't mean I can't try and protect you." His face became an indescribable expression, one Ryo had never seen before. The closest emotion that he could think of was that his father looked haunted.

Ryo pushed back his chair before grabbing his and Monodramon's plates. He carried them over to the sink and gave them a thorough scrubbing and rinsing before setting them in the dishwasher. "Me and Monodramon are going out for a while. We'll see you around dinner time?" His father nodded. "Let's go Monodramon." The Rookie Digimon pushed back his chair, albeit a bit clumsily, before joining his partner near the front door.

"Where are we going?" he asked in confusion. "We're not supposed to meet everyone until noon."

Ryo smiled as he closed the front door behind them. He gazed out at the tulips, their flower heads swaying gently in the morning winds. It was only about 7:30 am, however the sun still shone brightly, creating the illusion it was much later in the day. "We need to go find that Digimon we found," he explained. "It didn't seem to want to fight, but it could easily be terrorizing people without knowing."

"You're the boss," Monodramon exclaimed happily, a bright light emanating from his body. His body grew about four times bigger, the light shattering to reveal Cyberdramon once again. He gave a growl as Ryo clambered onto his back.

"I know, I know, you're not a morning person." he rolled his eyes, smiling. "Maybe I'll have to show you what coffee is. It'll go nicely with those pancakes you inhaled."

The Ultimate growled, not wishing to be reminded of the embarrassing memory.

 _Good ol' Cyberdramon. Having the ability to go from a puppy to a big guard dog with metal teeth. People may be scared of him, but it doesn't matter what they think of him as long we're together. We're a part of each other, otherwise there was no way we could've survived in the Digital World for so long on our own._

Cyberdramon had taken them to the Matsuki Bakery, surprisingly. The smell of fresh bread wafted through the air, reminding them of the breakfast they didn't have too long ago. Ryo didn't come here too often, the bakery was often swarming with customers, and all the people tended to make Cyberdramon uncomfortable. He probably made _them_ feel uncomfortable as well.

"You'll probably want to wait out here." Ryo cautioned. "I think it'll be hard to fit you into the bakery." The Ultimate complied, kneeling in the alley behind the bakery so as to not grab too much attention.

Ryo walked into the bakery, the smell of pastries becoming stronger. "I'm sorry sir, but the bakery doesn't open for another half an hour," a feminine voice apologized. Ryo recognized her as Takato's mom.

"Morning ," he greeted. "Actually, I was hoping to talk to Takato." True, he was looking for a Digimon, but perhaps the goggle headed Tamer could help.

"Why Ryo, it's certainly been a while," she returned the greeting in a strained voice. She seemed to fumble with pastries she was currently putting up in the glass display domes. A few creampuffs bounced onto the floor, gently expelling their creamy insides as they collided with the ground. "Oh dear, I seem to be clumsy this morning. Come here Guilmon," she called.

A red blur seemed to magically race down the stairs and straight to where the creampuffs had fallen. "Oh yummy!" he exclaimed with joy. The red Rookie gulped down the creampuffs effortlessly, even removing the cream that had stained the floor in mere seconds.

"Guilmon, I think I need to have another talk with you and manners," Mrs. Matsuki chided, shaking her head as she smiled.

"Awww. But Takato and I are busy playing-" Surprising, the Digimon seemed to cut himself off. Ryo had never seen him do that.

 _Guilmon is usually an open book._ He stared at Guilmon, curious thoughts going through his head. _Guess I'll just have to ask Takato what's going on._ "Do you know when Takato will be here?" he asked politely, despite the feeling of his patience running thin.

"You're free to go upstairs," Mrs. Matsuki offered. She handed him a brown paper back before returning to the display cases. "On the house," she whispered. "Our little incident never happened," she gestured to the floor where the creampuffs had been, giving him a conspiratorial wink.

He flashed grin before making his way to Takato's room. He stood outside his friend's door, a little unsure if he should barge in. "Takato?" he called, giving the door a cautious knock.

Behind him was a Guilmon who seemed to be jumping up and down on the stairs. "Just open the door," he suggested. Giving a shrug, Ryo complied. He twisted the knob, the wooden door slowly swinging open. Guilmon pushed past him, nearly knocking him down the stairs as he entered his partner's room.

Ryo now knew why Guilmon had been so antsy. He stepped into the room, not quite believing it himself. "Takato… Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that another Guilmon?"

His friend was currently sitting on the floor, lying on his stomach as he doodled in a sketchpad. It was another drawing of Guilmon, however, instead of modeling it off of his partner, he was using another Guilmon who was curled up on his bed, fast asleep. Had he not been familiar with Digimon, Ryo would've mistaken it for a large red and black cat.

"Oh hey Ryo," Takato greeted nonchalantly. "Yeah, me and Kazu found it yesterday at our Digital Field. I managed to get Beelzemon to sneak it through my window while I distracted my parents." He erased the ear he'd been sketching, having to redo it as the Guilmon's real ear twitched in its sleep.

"How is there another Guilmon?" Ryo asked confusedly. "I thought you created Guilmon."

"I did," Takato confirmed. "Me and Guilmon are just as confused why she's here."

"She? It's a girl?"

"That's what Guilmon says. She hasn't really spoken much, but she's still a baby and she needs to learn."

Ryo scootched past Takato and took a seat at his desk. "Weirder and weirder stuff just keeps happening to us," he thought aloud. "I guess it comes with the job though."The original Guilmon seemed quiet for once, watching it's look alike shift as it slumbered. He seemed fascinated, Ryo couldn't blame him.

The Guilmon's eyes snapped open, roving around the room. "Nice to see you awake sleepy head," Takato greeted it."You hungry?" It gave no reply, only swiveling its head around.

"Is it alright? It seems nervous."

" _She_ -" Takato corrected, "-is just fine."

"Maybe she's hungry," Guilmon suggested. "I know I get hungry after I sleep lots and lots."

Takato nodded enthusiastically. "I'll go grab some bread from downstairs. We usually have plenty of leftover bread, sometimes too much for Guilmon to eat."

His partner nodded. "Eating all of it makes my tummy hurt. But it tastes sooo yummy!"

Sudden movement and the sound of breaking glass interrupted their conversation. Takato and Ryo both looked at the window that had been behind the desk, gazing at a new Guilmon shaped hole that had "magically" appeared.

"Guilmon!" Takato cried out. His partner looked at him in confusion until it realized he wasn't talking about him.

"Cyberdramon catch it!" Ryo ordered.

As commanded, Cyberdramon burst into the air pursuing the runaway Digimon. The Guilmon was currently swatting at the metal garbage bins the Matsukis kept. They threw away the bread even Guilmon couldn't eat, piling the moldy baked goods in the bins and giving it to local farmers as compost. The Ultimate Digimon lunged at Guilmon, pinning her arms to her body easily.

"Pyro Sphere," she exclaimed, allowing Ryo the privilege of hearing her speak. Her voice was a bit high pitched than Guilmon's, but it shared his ferocity.

Her red orb of energy was thrown not at Cyberdramon, but at the trashcans she'd been attacking earlier. They were blown aside by her attack, a lithe purple shape jumping into the air. "It's you!" Ryo exclaimed. The purple fox like Digimon glared in his direction before opening its mouth to retaliate at Guilmon.

A large metal like ball appeared, hurtling towards the Rookie. Cyberdramon leaped into the air, still clutching his target. The projectile flew into the air, dissipating when it didn't hit it's 's Guilmon leaped out the window, landing onto the concrete below. "Pyro Sphere," he declared, also getting ready to attack it.

"Don't do it Guilmon!" Ryo shouted. The attack fizzled, leaving a confused Guilmon. "It's not a threat."

"But it attacked us," Takato protested.

"Only after she attacked it. Me and Kenta found this guy yesterday. He didn't want to fight, even Cyberdramon seems calm around him."

Cyberdramon's hostage thrashed, attempting to break free. Her claws scraped his scales, causing him to flap his wings wildly. Ryo grit his teeth, fearing what would happen next. _This'll be the same thing that happened last night._ "Drop her now!" he ordered.

The Ultimate Digimon bared his teeth giving a roar of rage. "Do it!" Ryo repeated assertively. Trembling with effort, Cyberdramon slowly released his grip on the Guilmon, snapping his muzzle in frustration.

Guilmon fell through the air, only to be caught by the original Guilmon at the last second. The moment of the height she fell from cause the two of the to tumble to the ground, a little scraped but unharmed. She seemed to have calmed down, sniffing Guilmon curiously as he pulled himself up.

The Digimon she had attacked, also being the Digimon Ryo had been hunting, had disappeared, vanishing while they'd been focused on Cyberdramon.

"What was that?" Takato asked, leaning out of the broken window as he surveyed the surrounding area.

"Looks like we still don't know," Ryo answered in a resigned tone. "Me and Cyberdramon had hoped to track it down before it caused trouble. Guess it's back to square one."

"Sorry Ryo," Takato apologized. "I'm just a bit spooked from all the unknown Digimon lately."

"You're not alone," he reassured. " I better get going. We still meeting later today?"

The goggle headed Tamer nodded. "Yeah, noon at the playground. I'll see you then." He wrapped his hand inside his jacket before carefully knocking out the broken glass from his window. "I'll just have to tell my parents Guilmon had a nightmare or something."

"Eh, that should work. See you at noon Takato, he replied, heading down the stairs.

"Is everything alright?" asked when he reached the bottom. "I thought I heard glass breaking."

"Just talk to Takato," he deflected. _I can't afford to get into trouble right now._ "Thanks for everything," he said gratefully, slipping out the front doors before she could say another word.

Cyberdramon was sitting on the sidewalk, still a little tense from his episode from earlier. "You alright?" Ryo asked, concerned. The Digimon gave a fierce growl, as if offended by the question before giving a shaky nod.

Ryo was still clutching onto the brown paper bag had given him despite all the conflict that had arisen. "Here, some food should make you feel better." He put a hand into it before pulling out a sticky frosted cupcake. A sticky purple frosted Cyberdramon cupcake. "Oh look, you're a cupcake this month," he laughed in amusement.

Cyberdramon simply growled before gobbling the cupcake, wrapper and all. Mrs. Matsuki had given him two cupcakes, allowing him to take a bite before feeding the rest to his partner. It tasted of a sweet bitter dark chocolate, followed by a spicy cinnamon explosion. "This cinnamon frosting isn't bad, don't you think?" he asked. Clearly his partner enjoyed it, even if he didn't want to say so.

"Do you know why you don't want to attack that Digimon?" Ryo asked curiously. "I've just never seen you do this before. Does he mean something to you?"

The Ultimate flapped his wings as he allowed Ryo onto his back. The Tamer kept prodding his Digimon for an answer, but he was only met with silence. The two of them flew around the city for many hours, but they could not find a trace of the Digimon once again.

 _Everything seems to be out of whack lately. I just wish I knew how to fix everything._ Exhausted, they landed in the playground next to a water fountain. Ryo drunk his fill of water before he held the button and allowed Cyberdramon the same courtesy.

"He is not worth it," Cyberdramon grumbled in his low and intimidating voice.

"What do you mean?"

The Ultimate refused to speak another word, perhaps not wanting to, or not knowing how to express it.

Ryo gave his partner a pat on the head. "Let's let this go for the moment. Right now, we need to meet up with everyone and talk about what happened yesterday. So much happened that we need to just take a step back and share everything we know so we can organize it all. We may be able to figure out what is happening with the Digital World."

The two of them walked towards the slide that vaguely looked like a dinosaur, ready to converse and connect with their friends.


	15. A Battle of Wills (and Keys)

**I know, I know. I missed the Friday deadline... I was still sick, and I've been having a lot of severe depression episodes. It's kind of hard to write when you feel like you're worth absolutely nothing. I was reading some other Fanfics and I guess I got a little discouraged. There are a lot of better writers out there than me. I guess it just confuses me why people enjoy this story so much. But, I digress, you guys don't need to here my excuses, you'd like to read the next chapter. So here it is in all it's glory. Throughout the week aka Mon-Fri, I had only written about a thousand words. Saturday, despite feeling like the scum of the earth, I decided to write. I wrote and wrote and wrote. 36 straight hours, three bottles of iced tea later, I had added an extra seven thousand words. Yup. Because I love you guys so much, and a bit as an apology, I strayed from my normal five thousand word cap and gave you guys eight thousand words of epic story. I hope this will satisfy you guys for a little while. I'd just like everyone to know that I will hopefully continue the "Release a chapter every Friday" routine. But, I really need to take this Friday off. I need to just shut my brain off and get the juices flowing again. I have all the major plot points laid out and such, its just the in between bits that can be frustrating. So, I think that pretty much sums everything I wanted to talk about. So, as per usual, leave a lovely review, and Read, Relax, and Enjoy!**

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"Keep doing that and I'll have to stop bringing you to these meetings," Henry reprimanded. Suzie, who had been dangling upside down from a bench sat up, her hair covering her face. She blew it away, revealing sad puppy eyes which she directed at her brother.

"But it's so boring here," she sniveled. "Why can't everyone just be here already?"

Henry was immune, instead shooting his own annoyed glare back at her. "There could be complications. Not everyone will be here on time. We just have to be patient and wait for them to come here."

"Aw cut her some slack, she's just excited to not be in school for the day," Ryo interjected, flashing a smile at her. He playfully ruffled her hair, causing her to giggle.

"Yeah!" she agreed happily, sticking a tongue out at Henry.

"I'm sure your "stomach ache" will be gone tomorrow, then you'll be complaining about the multiplication tables you'll have to do," he predicted.

"I have Lopmon to help me," Suzie stated confidently. "Right Lopmon?"

Her partner was currently asleep, curled up in the recently mowed lawn. Terriermon was not far off, snoring peacefully.

"Care to explain Henry?" Ryo asked, probably sensing the beginnings of his story. Suzie stood up, skipping to where the two Digimon were snoozing. She settled down in a patch of daisies close to them, plucking the flowers.

"I had them stand watch last night to watch this guy," Henry admitted. He pulled out the blue duffel bag he'd stuffed under the bench. With a grunt of effort, he pulled it onto his lap. Grasping at the zipper, he opened it, Ryo moving closer to look at what was inside.

A small creature jumped out, smacking the Tamer in the face upon exit. "Ow," Ryo exclaimed, rushing a hand to his face where a red mark was appearing. "Oh."

It was bright orange, about as big as a basketball. The only defining features about it were a tan face and a long slender grey horn. Red eyes gazed at them. "Howdy," it chirped cheerfully.

"A Tsunomon? Was this at your Field? Ryo asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Henry answered. "It was being chased by a MegaKabuterimon. Gargomon and Antylamon managed to defeat it while Kazu and Guardromon grabbed him and ran away. I managed to smuggle him into my house and had Terriermon and Lopmon watch him all night while we were asleep."

"So that makes three," Ryo mused. He gazed at the Tsunomon, seemingly deep in thought.

"Three?" Henry asked curiously. _Three what exactly?_

"Three Digimon," he replied. "Takato and I also found Digimon at our Fields. They weren't too keen on attacking us."

"Where are they?"

"Takato will probably bring his. Mine uh, it kinda ran away,"

Henry gave a sigh. _Too many inconveniences these days. There've been a lot of Digimon sightings. Yamaki had said there were many more incoming. I hope we're prepared._ "Is it dangerous?" he asked, attempting to return to present thoughts.

Ryo shook his head. "It seemed skittish, but not evil enough to go on a full blown rampage." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Cyberdramon told me it wasn't worth fighting. I've never seen him pass up the opportunity to fight before."

"I'm sure everything will be fine," he assured calmly. He knew nothing about the psychopathic dragon. If anyone would be able to fix his problems, it would be his Tamer's. "Right now, let's just focus on the here and now. That'll be this guy," he explained, tilting his head in the direction of the Tsunomon.

"You have any food?" it asked curiously, noticing their stares.

Ryo smiled. "It certainly eats like a normal Digimon."

"Tell me about it," Henry agreed, rolling his eyes. "I had to smuggle about a whole bread loaf worth of peanut butter sandwiches before he was full. My mom seems to think I've hit another growth spurt."

Cyberdramon gave a low growl, alerting the Tamers of a newcomer. The two of them looked up to see Kenta cradling his partner MarineAngemon. "Hey Kenta," they greeted.

"Hey guys," he sighed. He sat on the bench they were occupying, sandwiching Ryo between them. MarineAngemon shifted, but remained still, closing his eyes.

"What's going on with him?"

Kenta looked down, embarrassed. "He ate too many donuts at breakfast. Now he has a stomachache, so I've been having to carry him around for a bit."

Ryo gave a hearty laugh, removing his hand from the bruise on his face. "That'll be about any Digimon you meet. Eating before thinking." He gave a smug look at Cyberdramon. "You should've seen Monodramon at my house this morning. He was wolfing pancakes down like no tomorrow."

Cyberdramon bared his teeth, his growls becoming much more audible and intimidating. However Ryo simply ignored them, his smile only widening. Kenta on the other hand seemed to be shaking.

"A-any word on anybody else? I'm a bit surprised to be o-one of the first ones here." he asked meekly.

"Rika had said her mother might be taking her to a photo shoot, so she might be here, she might not be." Ryo informed. "And Takato had said he'd be here."

"Kazu called me this morning. He said he was grounded, something about not providing dinner or something like that. Ai and Mako were telling me about a camping trip they were going to go on. They were telling me about going canoeing with Impmon and all the other stuff they'd do." Kenta gave a devilish grin, seemingly a bit peculiar. "I told them to take a lot of embarrassing pictures."

"I guess it'll just be us four then. Five if Rika comes over." Henry summed up. _Small group. Hope the Digital Fields stay inactive for as long as possible._ They'd been attacked relentlessly for the past few days. He gazed at Terriermon, fearing for his partner's safety.

 _I don't want this life for him. Fighting battles everyday, forcing himself get up for the good of humanity. I just want him to be happy._

"I'm here too Henry!" Suzie corrected him, hollering from her spot in the grass. She was on her back, watching the clouds drift across the sky. His sister didn't bother to get up and send him her usual annoyed glare, too engrossed in her activity.

"Four and a half," Ryo joked. Despite the attempt, the humor seemed to fall flat, awkward silence filling the air.

Henry watched Tsunomon, the small In-Training Digimon gazing at Suzie with great interest. He didn't like it one bit. Taking a deep breath, the Tamer exhaled, desperately trying to remain calm and focused.

"Think you can tell us what happened in the park yesterday Kenta?" Ryo asked curiously. He absentmindedly pulled his cards out from his back pocket and began to shuffle them, his elbows occasionally colliding with Kenta and Henry.

"Yeah, you never really got to tell us what happened, what with all the commotion and all," Henry agreed, nodding enthusiastically. _Anything to stay productive._ His thoughts began to drift towards topics he'd rather avoid, they'd only fire up his emotions and right now, he needed to have a clear head.

"There isn't much to talk about," Kenta reported sadly. "Doggymon and Swanmon just seemed to be hanging around Guilmon's hut. I didn't actually see Swanmon, but I assume it's inside. It doesn't seem to like making any appearances."  
"Maybe it's hurt?" Ryo theorized.

"Doubtful. Digimon have always been fast healers," Henry countered. "They're probably plotting something. As you guys know, I like to plan things out, think things through. But for now, we have the element of surprise on them. I think we need to catch them while we still can. There's something suspicious with those two, and we need to figure out what it is," he explained.

"Can we go do that now?" Suzie piped up curiously. She was now sitting, the Tsunomon in her lap. The little Digimon bounced happily, rubbing up to her stomach. "He's so cute!"

"No," her brother firmly declined. "We just can't stroll up to them and ask 'So, what're you two planning?' We need to be tactical."

"Sorry Henry, I'm going to have to side with Suzie on this one," Ryo apologized. "We've been watching their moves for the past few days and achieved nothing. If we want answers, we'll need to be proactive for once and get them ourselves."

"You can't actually be taking her side in this!" Henry exclaimed in disbelief. However, Ryo continued to prolong eye contact, his expression quite serious. "You too Kenta?!"

He nodded slowly. " It certainly makes sense. Besides, maybe we got this all wrong. Maybe they really are on our side. Before they disappeared, they saved my life. I owe it to them to at least give them the benefit of a doubt. Not all Digimon are bad."

Henry ground his teeth in frustration. "You all just don't understand. You can't see what I see." Despite him trying to share his logic, his friends continued to give him hard stares. He had lost them. "You." He looked at his sister, his rage flaring up. "You shouldn't even be here. You should be in school, learning and eating lunch."

"I have a right to be here too," she shot back. "I'm a Tamer just like you and everyone else!"

"In my opinion, you shouldn't even be a Tamer," he retorted coldly.

Shock and hurt flashed onto the nine year old's face, her eyes shimmering. She stood up, Tsunomon sliding to the ground. "Then maybe you shouldn't be my brother," she exclaimed weakly. With that, she rushed away from the playground, her audible whimpers hanging in the air.

Henry could feel the tension in the air, but he was too distraught to focus on it. As soon as he had said those words, he had felt horrible. _They're true though. Being a Tamer means sacrificing everything to keep people safe. I can't let her make that choice. She's too young to understand it all._

"You can't protect her forever," Ryo said sadly, as though reading his mind. "Believe me, I've tried, and it won't end well." He looked at the cards in his hands, his gaze growing distant.

"She doesn't know what she's saying." he maintained. "We gave up on being normal kids a long time ago. Once a decision is made, there is no going back. She's not ready for that kind of commitment."

"She's proven many times over that she is capable," Ryo defended. "You just need to see that and not focus on her age."

"She's my sister, not yours. When you have a sibling, you'll understand." he said heatedly. " It's up to me to look out for her."

"Guess I'll never see what it's like then," the Digimon King snarled bitterly. Hearing his own anger seemed to cause him to take a deep breathe. His next words were calmer, but seemed forced. " You may think Suzie being a Tamer as an utter disaster, but the way I see it, she has the opportunity to follow her role model. Don't push her away. Keep her close and hold her tight."

He could feel his rage threatening to boil over. _How dare he think he knows what is best for Suzie! I'm her brother, I know her much better than he ever will._ " I'm not going to put her in danger. I don't need to listen to you for brotherly advice," he spat. His body was going into overdrive, the adrenaline pumping wildly. He stood up, his clenched fists trembling as he tried to control his urge to fight.

"Go ahead, punch me." Ryo invited. "It won't be the first time I've been smacked this week. I've grown quite used to being a punching bag."

He dug his fingernails into his skin. The offer was truly tempting, however, a thought occured. "Don't worry. Your face will survive for your adoring fans," he supplied sarcastically. "I guess now I know what Cyberdramon meant when he said that Digimon wasn't worth it. You're not worth my time."

Ryo too stood up, putting his newly shuffled cards in his back pocket. Glaring daggers at him, the Tamer walked stiffly away, not leaving the park, but putting a fair amount of distance between the two of them. Cyberdramon followed, sitting in a hunched position next to his partner as the two of them settled down inside the jungle gym, their backs to him.

Henry sat back down onto the bench, realizing he was now alone. Lopmon and Terriermon believe it or not were still asleep in the grass. Kenta had wandered off to who knows where, probably scared off by the heated argument when he and Ryo were sniping at each other. The Tsunomon had hopped over towards Ryo, only to be driven off by Cyberdramon's snarling. It was currently going towards Lopmon and Terriermon, probably seeing them as the safer option.

He eyed the markings on his fists his fingernails had made in quiet fury. Normally, he was calm, cool, and collected, nobody ever got under his skin. But Ryo had been too insistant with putting his sister in danger. Who was he to tell him how to keep his family safe?

The sound of heavy approaching footsteps caused him to look up. "Suzie," he greeted detachedly, looking for his stomping little sister. He had not expected to see the lanky shape of Takato standing in front of him. "Oh."

"Think you can tell me what happened?" he asked in a confused voice. " I wasn't expecting to step into a warzone when we planned this hangout."

Guilmon was busy frolicking in the grass next to Terriermon. He was busy wrestling with another Digimon, shockingly, another Guilmon. The two of them pushed against each other at arm's length, trying to push the other to the ground. One of them stumbled, accidentally giving poor Terriermon a kick.

"Whaz goin on?" he mumbled still half asleep, his eyelids slowly creeping open. Still in a danger zone, he didn't react fast enough to avoid another kick to the head. Now wide awake, he gazed at the Digimon in disbelief. "Two Guilmons!? What kind of dream is this!?"

 _One horrible nightmare._ Henry thought gloomily.

* * *

Jeri Katou was severely depressed.

It was just a simple fact. One that nagged at her brain twenty four seven. Even if her friends knew about her condition, she knew there was nothing they could do to cheer her up. There was only one thing that could've cheered her up. One person whom she felt comfortable with.

But he was dead. Her partner Leomon was long gone.

That was yet another simple fact. Everyone she ever knew, everyone she would love was going to die someday, to leave her all alone yet again.

As a result, she couldn't form attachments. What was the point of living if everything is going to disappear? If everything you believed in, everyone you loved, every place you went are to be forgotten, why does it exist in the first place?

She couldn't remember how to feel happy. Even her happy memories from her past could be seen as nothing but shadows. Most of the time, she simply felt nothing, her only true emotions being rage or sorrow.

Even her friends were beginning to forget about her. Yesterday, they had all rushed off in separate directions to close numerous Digital Fields. She understood that it was urgent, that people needed to be saved, but it really hurt that none of the Tamers ever gave her a second thought. Not a single one of them, not even Takato, had bid her farewell.

She could tell they didn't quite know how to act around her. She was once a Tamer, but now she had no partner. She knows of Digimon, but she is of no use to them. Jeri knew she was of no use to anybody.

Now that she had all this time to herself, she usually locked herself away in her bedroom, morbidly shifting through her various negative emotions. They were all she could focus on, they were her only source of power. When her parents and step siblings were out of the house, she would have a good cry once in a while, just feeling so hopeless and lost and alone.

"Jeri?" Calumon asked in an unnormally quiet voice.

The Digimon was only only companion. He had nowhere else to go and was gratefully living with her. Jeri felt numb, but the silly Digimon did make her laugh from time to time as he acted out his usual shenanigans. He was currently curled up in a ball beside her on top of her bed.

"Yeah?"

"When will you be happy again?"

"I wish I knew Calumon," she replied wistfully. "I doubt I'll ever be truly happy though," she said melodramatically.

"You won't know until you try," he urged, attempting to sound cheery.

"If I try, I'll just fail. And when I fail, I just end up hurting people."

"But we can't be happy without the sad. Otherwise happy wouldn't be happy." Calumon was always childish, but like Guilmon, he could be wise and mature when he wanted to be.

"I guess I'll try," Jeri promised unenthusiastically. She said this more to apease Calumon than herself.

"Can we go play with everyone else?"

From what she remembered from yesterday, Takato had told her everyone would be meeting at the playground everyday at noon or three thirty, whenever there was no school really. Since there was no school for the week due to the mentally unstable subsitute teacher, everyone would be at the playground by noon.

"You can go if you want," Jeri offered. "I'll just slow you and everyone else down."

"You don't slow us down Jeri," Calumon countered. "You help inspire us. Like with yummy creampuffs!"

"Either way, I just want to stay here, go on without me." she insisted, attempting to dodge his compliment. She just couldn't believe it about herself, she was a horrible human being. If she hadn't picked Leomon to be her partner, he'd still be alive, probably living a happy carefree life.

"O-okay," he muttered sadly. The little Digimon opened her window, expanding his ears and flying towards the playground. A breeze fluttered inside her room, rustling the curtains that covered the window.

Jeri was tempted to get up and close the window, but she just didn't have the motivation to leave her bed. With her luck, she'd probably break a leg or something. At least she wouldn't have to leave her bed if that happened though. So she left it, allowing the fresh air to circulate around her room.

It may seem like a trivial thing now, but later that day, Jeri would be very glad she had left the window open. Otherwise, the events that were about to unfold would have played out far differently.

* * *

It was a gorgeous day outside. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. On days like these, kids like him should be enjoying a great game of catch.

Yet here he was, being probed by a pair of inquisitive doctors.

Sure, they were nice as doctors go, but he really hated the tests they had to run, all the samples they had to take. All the questions he had to lie about. He was also really starting to miss his clothes. Clothes would be very preferable right now. Wearing nothing but a pair of underwear was downright embarrassing.

"Does this still hurt?" a kind female doctor asked. She was lightly poking at his chest, right where thick strands of bandages were wrapped around his ribs.

It didn't hurt nearly as much as yesterday, he still felt a dull ache, but he was able to tolerate her touching that spot. "Yeeesss," he over exaggerated through gritted teeth.

"Very interesting," she concluded, scribbling down some notes in a nearby notepad. Her partner removed a thermometer from his mouth, looking at the digital numbers it read.

"His temperature is normal. As well as his blood pressure and heartbeat," he reported. The doctor removed his stethoscope and placed it and the thermometer into a neatly organized metal case. "I'd say that's just about everything."

"We'll just need to have a talk with your guardian," the woman explained. "We just want to give her some new drugs to give to you and give us a call in case your condition changes."

"Sure thing," Sora croaked in a realistic raspy voice. "Problem is she went grocery shopping." Miss Asagi had been worried about running low on nutritious food, however, the doctors had convinced her he would be in safe hands with them and had reluctantly agreed to go shopping.

"Not a problem," the doctor who had taken his bloodwork replied cheerfully. "We'll just have to keep you company until she comes back,"

"That's alright," he gently declined. "I'm sure you have much more important things to do than watch over me."

"Nonsense. If you need anything, just give us a holler. We'll help you get dressed and leave you alone to get some rest. Broken bones need all the energy they can get if they want to heal."

The two doctors gingerly helped slip him into a large blue nightgown. They'd carefully guide his "useless" arms through the sleeves before slipping his "limp" body under the bed spread. They opened a window to allow airflow before wishing him sweet dreams and departing his room.

Ever since he had somehow cast his Cure spell, his body had very slowly been recovering. Not instantaneously like it did in battle, but it was healing much faster than he had been healing without any magic at all. His chest still hurt, but was no longer a code red "move an inch and feel like you've been repeatedly hit by a train" scenario. His broken arm and leg, still in rock hard casts, were itching to be used. Quite literally as well, he could only imagine what they looked like, and the picture was not pretty. His skin was now flawless, not a burn or scar in sight, as though they had never been there in the first place.

"I wish they'd leave," he muttered to himself. Sora would just love to be able to go outside and play, not have the fate of the worlds on his shoulders for once. Even just sitting in the sunshine and watching other people go about their days sounded appealing. He was hungry for any social interaction he could get into. Having to pretend he was still critically injured and hadn't miraculously been healed in a matter of hours was really putting a damper on his positive thinking.

Seeing no other alternative, he closed his eyes, attempting to shut down his mind and fall asleep. It wasn't too hard to give into the darkness, he could feel himself slowly fading away, his consciousness leaving him. However, it was only after he could see nothing that he sensed himself growing more aware of his senses.

He twisted his head, surprised when it complied. It was then that he realized he wasn't asleep. He had once again Dived into his Heart. Sora's body slowly drifted downwards, his feet softly coming into contact with his stained glass platform. However, unlike his last visit, it was much less peaceful.

Roxas was hunched over in a defensive position, one foot in front of his other. He held his Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblades in an X formation at arm's length, having just barely blocked a purple energy beam his opponent had fired upon him.

The shadow from before stood in front of him, simply sneering at Roxas' block. He was much less transparent, looking much more lifelike. Sora was able to see facial features, including two black voids where the shadow's eyes would've been.

Sora blinked, summoning his Kingdom Key. _Roxas needs my help!_ However, he blinked again rapidly, surprised.

His stained glass platform was gone. Now he was standing in a shallow puddle, surrounded by wet concrete. Rain fell heavily from the night sky, causing Sora to shudder. The nightgown he was in was doing nothing to insulate him from the cold the rain had brought with it.

In front of him was a tall building. It was at least twenty if not thirty stories high, being lit with neon green and yellow lights. He recognized the building, it had been where he had fought Xemnas.

A black hooded figure in a cloak walked past him, being about his height. As he continued to walk, Neo Shadows emerged from his past footsteps, shouldering their way to the surface of the concrete as they drew themselves to their full height. The figure paid them no heed, continuing towards the tower. It was only after more Neo Shadows emerged from the ground to block their path that the stranger stopped in their tracks. They withdrew their hands, Oathkeeper appearing in one, Oblivion in the other.

The figure looked to the top of the tower, Sora following their gaze. Sitting at its peak was a familiar silhouette. They may've been wearing a black cloak as well, and a blindfold that concealed their eyes, but Sora recognized their white hair. He'd recognize it anywhere, it was Riku!

"Riku!" he attempted to cry out. However, he couldn't find his voice, his mouth opening wordlessly.

The cloaked figure jumped nimbly onto the side of the building, defying gravity as they continued to run up it. Drawing their arm back, they gave a mighty throw, flinging Oblivion at Riku.

However, Sora's friend deftly caught the Keyblade, clinging to it as though the stranger had meant to give it to him. Clutching his new weapon, Riku jumped off the top, hurting towards the ground at neck breaking speeds. Riku and the stranger met at a halfway point, turning to look at each other, sizing the other's strength.

The cloaked figure reached the top of the building, turning to look down at Riku. Riku in turn gazed at the Heartless surrounding him, somehow sensing where they were despite being blindfolded. Something seemed to cause Riku pain, a gasp escaping his mouth, his friend cradling his head with his free hand.

Sensing his moment of weakness, a Neo Shadow lunged at Riku, leaping to the air, claws poised to shred him. However, Sora watched as his friend managed to recover, swinging at the Heartless with the Oblivion Keyblade.

The mysterious person at the top of the building jumped, landing onto the ground effortlessly. With extreme skill, both warriors primed their weapons before lunging at each other. Sora shut his eyes, not sure if this fight was real or not.

However, instead of blood spurting or howls of pain, all the Neo Shadows that had been surrounding the two were vaporized, the newly enlightened hearts rising into the air.

Now that the immediate threat had disappeared, the two humanoids looked at each other shiftily, both instantly jumping back several feet away from the other. They brandished their weapons, about to start combat.

Sora attempted to move his body, but he was unable to shift a muscle. He tried again, meeting the same futile results. _Riku! I need to help him!_ Unfortunately, it seemed he was fated to only watched.

Riku seemed to have the upperhand, swiftly causing his opponent to expend more energy than necessary into his swings, causing him to lose balance and allow Riku the opportunity to land a hit. This was a strategy he had used on Sora way back on Destiny Islands when they used to spar for fun.

However, the cloaked stranger had a certain ferocity, quickly returning to their feet when they were knocked down. The one drawback to Riku's strategy is that it may be reliable, but it was repetitive. They seemed to realize that, catching Riku off guard with a few counterfeit strikes before lashing at Riku with their real attack. In no time flat, Riku was beaten, knocked to the ground by a vicious knockback attack.

"Why?" he exclaimed. "Why do you have the Keyblade?"

The figure paused as if considering for a moment the answer to Riku's question. However they shook their head decisively. "Shut up!" said an all too familiar voice. Sensing victory, they swung at Riku with Oathkeeper, putting all their strength into the one attack.

Riku managed to summon the power to stand and swing back with Oblivion, knocking the figure to the ground, their hood swinging back to reveal their face. _Roxas!_

The blindfolded teenager that was his friend walked towards Roxas, standing over his unconscious body. He gripped Oblivion tightly, as though struggling with some sort of mental choice. Eventually, he plunged the weapon into the concrete, the Keyblade planted firmly into the ground.

However, Riku gave a gasp in surprise, Roxas opening his eyes and used the new Keyblade to pull himself up. Now slightly standing, Roxas swung Oblivion at Riku, causing him to leap backwards to avoid the attack.

Having a second wind, Roxas charged towards Riku. Riku reacted by throwing a ball of grey blue fire, however Roxas gave a simple stroke of Oblivion and knocked it aside. Getting closer, he lunged at Riku, causing him to jump a short ways again.

"Why don't you quit?" Roxas challenged.

Riku's head bobbed, looking at the ground for a second before returning to gaze at Roxas. "Come on, Sora," he taunted, gesturing with his arms. "I thought you were stronger than that."

Sora continued to watch, speechless and confused. _Can he see me?_

This seemed to confuse Roxas. "Huh?" he questioned. However, a look of determination crossed his face. "Get real. Look at which one of us is winning." Even though he said the words, Roxas only looked more confused. "Wha-" He fingered his mouth with a gloved hand, puzzled.

"So I guess it's true," Riku declared. "You really are his Nobody. Guys DiZ was right after all."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas exclaimed in outrage. "I am me! Nobody else!" With the wave of his hand, Oathkeeper reappeared in his other hand, once again having two weapons. His anger seemed to fuel his body, allowing him to charge again towards Riku and use a scissor like attack.

No longer having a weapon, Riku had no choice but to block the blow with his arm. He gave a painful groan as the power caused him to slide backwards against the slippery cement.

"How many times do I have to beat you?" Roxas challenged.

"Alright," Riku muttered, having to support himself by pushing off the ground with his undamaged arm. "You've left me with no other choice."

"What?"

"I have to release the power in my heart-" Riku informed, standing up to his full height. He removed the blindfold, dropping it to the ground. "-the dark power I've been holding back. Even… if it changes me forever." Riku gave a powerful roar, a strange white purple light enveloping him.

In his place was an even taller tan skinned man. A bulky muscular Heartless protruded from his back, long lanky arms hovering into the air.

Before Roxas could even react, the man teleported, reappearing in front of him. The Heartless grabbed Roxas, pinning his arms to his sides, slowly applying pressure and crushing him. The man crossed his own arms, not flinching or blinking his dead amber eyes as he watched Roxas struggle before him.

Roxas attempted to thrash his way out, but the Heartless' grip was too strong. He gasped, the Shadow slowly suffocating him as he squeezed the oxygen out of his lungs. Oathkeeper and Oblivion clattered to the ground disappearing in a brilliant white light and mysterious black wisp.

"I have accepted it," "Riku" stated solemnly. Roxas slid to the ground, now passed out.

Whether it being from pure will, or just the fact that the battle was finished, Sora found that he was able to move again. Horrified, he raced towards the two of them, "Riku" still standing over Roxas' body.

"Sora," he stated when he came closer. "Help me finish the job."

"I can't just let you kill Roxas," he cried out in shock, amazed he was able to speak again.

"Then you can help me fight against him," Roxas said unexpected, his eyes flickering open. "Together we can beat him."

"No! I can't let either of you hurt each other!" Sora exclaimed. However, both sides glared at each other, killing the other clearly being their intent.

"Join me, together we can defeat the darkness that he possesses," "Riku" promised. "He's an evil entity Sora, one that needs to be destroyed."

"Your "friend" has clearly lost control to the darkness Sora. Join _me_ and we can cleanse him of it," Roxas countered.

"I'm not going to let either of you hurt each other!" Sora repeated firmly. "You two are too similar, we can work this all out and try to find a way out of this place," he devised.

"Sora you can't trust him," the tan man warned. "He'll kill you."

"Roxas would never hurt me!" he defended. "We're one in the same."

However, the nobody seemed to have other ideas, summoning Oblivion. But instead of attacking his enemy, his attack was directed at Sora.

Sora managed to react in time, swiftly summoning his Kingdom Key and using it to parry the blow. "Riku", otherwise known as Ansem "the seeker of darkness", took this chance to use his Heartless, the large Shadow fusing it's fingers from one hand together to form a shadow blade. The weapon stabbed Roxas in the chest, causing the youth to fall to the ground, clutching the wound.

Roxas gave an inhuman wail, his body exploding in a ball of dark particles. The surroundings disappeared, the concrete, the rain, the building, all these began to fade. Ansem also began to melt away, however instead of disappearing completely, his black cloak stayed behind, his height only shrinking a fair amount. In Ansem's place was Roxas, triumphantly holding Oathkeeper where Ansem's Heartless had stabbed its enemy.

"Glad you could make it," he panted tiredly, slumping to the ground in a tired heap. Sora only watched hesitantly, unsure whether to believe anything at the moment. "Don't worry, it isn't another trick." he reassured when he noticed Sora's wariness. "The darkness was bending my memories, trying to confuse you."

He didn't know what to believe. All he knew was that he was back in his Heart, away from whatever vision he had been watching. "Roxas?" Sora asked cautiously.

"Yeah?" he asked from his position on the ground.

"I don't really know if you are the real Roxas or not, but was that fight real?"

The former Nobody gave a bitter sigh, clearly this was a topic he hated to remember. "It was real," he confirmed quietly. "Your friend," he paused, a revelation coming to his mind. "Riku." he corrected himself. "He was trying to take me in. He wanted to fuse you and me together so you would wake up."

"To wake me up?" Memories of awakening from a white pod of some sort flooded his brain. "Oh yeah. I remember being asleep for a while. How did I get there anyway?"

"That's a long story," Roxas stated, clearly deflecting his question. "I'd rather not talk about it right now." With a grunt of effort, he stood up, discarding Oathkeeper and the black cloak he'd been wearing to reveal his normal white checkered outfit. "What we do need to talk about is what happened."

"So spill it."

"That cheerful encounter was the dark presence you met last time." Roxas introduced. "He's still been growing stronger than ever, almost enough to overpower me. I doubt I'd have been able to take him out this time if you weren't here to distract him." he admitted.

"But I _have_ been being positive." Sora protested. It was a hard task too. He was basically having to lie to himself, telling himself that everything was going to be alright.

"If you don't believe it, it defeats the purpose," he chided. He seemed very disappointed in him. However, seeing the defeat on his face caused Roxas to flash him a very small forgiving smile. "But this isn't all your fault. Somehow, it's drawing power from somewhere else. And because of it, he's getting stronger and stronger every time I beat him back." His smile fell, despair creeping back.

"What do we do now? You seem to know what you're doing." Sora implied. "Wouldn't I just get in the way?"

"This is your body," Roxas stated firmly. " And that being, whatever it is now, seems to want to take control. I don't know how it got here, but we need to get rid of it for good."

"So wait," Sora asked in confusion. "It isn't my inner Darkness? It isn't Anti-Sora?"

"No- wait a minute," Roxas exclaimed. "That's what you've been calling it?" Strangled laughter left his mouth, his eyes clenched in mirth. "That's a pretty stupid name."

"Don't blame me, blame Donald," Sora grumbled. His friend had insisted on naming his darker half something so as to identify it. It wasn't often, but when Sora went into his Drive Forms on occasion, the darkness inside of him would take over, causing him to go on ruthless bloody rampages. He would no longer be in control of his actions, only forced to watch as he created chaos.

He watched as Roxas' eyes roved up and down in his direction. "Nice get up by the way," he complimented sarcastically.

Sora looked down at himself, realizing he was still wearing the blue nightgown the hospital staff had given to him. His face flushed red with embarrassment " Aw c'mon! You really think this was my first choice?" he protested distastefully. He didn't want to admit it, but it _was_ comfortable. At this, Roxas began to howl humorously.

It took his friend a moment to recover, his laughter fading into the void that surrounded them. "It's still a pretty dumb name, and that nightshirt totally doesn't bring out your eye color," he repeated smugly. "But no, it's not your inner darkness. It may have started out like that at one point, but the power it's been drawing in seems to have changed it, causing it to mutate or something."

"But _what do we do_?" Sora repeated, noticing that Roxas never actually directly answered his first question.

"If being with you has taught me anything, it's to be honest with you and myself," the Nobody started. "So I guess I'll be level with you." He clenched his fists, gazing at the platform they were standing on. "I have no clue."

Sora became speechless, caught off guard by Roxas' answer. He was always so hard to read, Sora only able to ever see the anger he felt when he was in battle. He'd never expect Roxas to not have the answer to the problem at hand.

The two of them were like that for some time, silent.

Suddenly, Sora fell to the ground, his knees buckling under his weight. Roxas rushed to his side, turning him onto his back.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Sora opened his mouth in an attempt to explain the weird fuzzy sensation he was feeling in his chest, however the only audible sounds he could create were gasps. Roxas' voice getting farther and farther away, Sora's consciousness being flung into the distance.

"Clear!" shouted another voice. Another wave of sensation gripping him, causing his body to give a forward jerk.

His eyes shot open, taking a deep breath to fill his surprisingly empty lungs. He was lying on the bed, the two doctors standing over him with concern on their faces. One of them was holding a pair of defibrillators.

"Thank goodness!" she exclaimed in relief. She put the life saving device onto the nightstand. Her partner ran a moist washcloth over his head, dampening it. "We almost lost you, your heartbeat was so slow that we were worried it was too late."

"I settle down to take a nap and I almost die, guess I can't be left alone for more than five minutes," he weakly joked. Despite the attempt, both doctors gave each other a serious look before returning to him, pity in their eyes.

"We're going to need to take you back to the hospital," the male nurse said gently. "We'll need to run more tests and find out why this happened."

"But Miss Asagi," Sora protested. He couldn't just leave her behind. She'd cared for him so much the past three weeks it'd be strange to be alone on this world without somebody he knew. He was all on his own for now; no Donald, no Goofy, no Gummi Ship, no healing items, nothing. Just himself, his abilities, and his wits.

"We can't afford a repeat of this happening. She'll be notified that you're back with us, and she can visit due to her being your only link in our data files, but that's all. Miss Asagi has done an amazing job caring for you, but this is simply too intense for her on her own."

He knew when he would lose an argument, and that was clearly now. Nothing he said would sway their thoughts about moving him back to the hospital. It was a real pity too, he had just nearly been able to walk and explore around the world, possibly find some clues as to which on he ended up on.

With very intense coordination, the two hospital employees managed to get Sora into the wheelchair they kept in the ambulance in under fifteen minutes. They were just wheeling him outside towards the parked emergency vehicle when he was thrown to the ground, something colliding with his chair.

His wounds were no longer critical, but they still hurt. As he hit the ground, his chest sang with pain, his nerves exploding due to the sensation. Sora attempted to roll himself over, but was having some difficulty due to his heavy casts. He finally managed to do so, using their stiffness and heavy weight as an advantage.

Flat on his back, he was able to view the sky for the first time in weeks, shocked by how much he missed it. However, his vision was blocked by a peculiar object, or rather a peculiar creature.

It had purple and white fur, a large red stone embedded into its forehead. Two amber eyes glared down at him, burning with fury. "I've found you," it growled. It had some sort of silky quality towards its voice, which was strange for the beastial pitch that resounded with it.

Before he could ask it a question, the creature bared its teeth, lunging towards him.

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **Tsunomon**

 **Dorumon (Now I can finally reveal him...YAY!)**

 **Kingdom Hearts**

 **Ansem Seeker of Darkness**

 **Xehanort's Guardian**


	16. Heart Bubble Wrath

**So, it's been a while. I've had a lot of stuff going on. New games, (aka Pokemon Go, Team Instinct FTW) family troubles, depression the whole shebang. But I've been suffering from the world's worst disease of all time. Writer's Block. I want you guys to know, that no matter what happens, I'm not going to ditch this story unless I say otherwise. That means until I give a notification of some sort, I am constantly working on new updates. Even if it's weeks (hopefully not months), I'm still working stuff out for the next chapter. So, here's the next one. I'm still debating whether to do Quantity vs Quality. If you guys would like to tell me your opinion on this, I'd appreciate it. All this has to deal with is chapter size really. Now then, enough of my blabbering nonsense. Here you go. Read, Relax, and Enjoy!**

* * *

The pressure upon his arm was getting very very uncomfortable. Then again, he couldn't really blame it. It was kind of hard to stay calm when there was an unknown creature biting down on your arm with full force.

The fight or flight part of his brain had activated, his reflexes instinctually causing him to shield himself with his right arm. Also known as the arm encased in a rock hard concrete like cast.

In mere seconds, the cocoon was shattered, shredded into tiny pieces thanks to the creature's razor sharp teeth. Remains of the shell were caught in its mouth, giving Sora the opening he needed. Summoning strength, he managed to swing his arm, throwing the foxlike creature a fair amount of distance away from himself. His arm seemed to be singing, grateful for being able to move again. The tired, stiff muscles were finally seeing some action for once, his blood able to reach full circulation there again.

His opponent shook their head as they returned to their feet, a little dazed. Their tail swished back and forth, as though it were contemplating what to do next. Sora forced his body to stay still, allowing them to make the first move. He needed to study their strategy.

However, they only stared at his arm, an almost satisfactory smile as their lips turned upwards, showing many teeth again. "You've had that coming for a long time," the creature purred.

Sora looked at where they were gazing. The cast that had been covering his arm had taken most of the damage from the teeth, but he was still injured. Jagged teeth marks cut all the way from his wrist to his elbow, blood dribbling to the ground. He hadn't felt it with the adrenaline pumping through him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in confusion. He certainly didn't remember seeing something like the creature on his previous adventures.

"Just like a human to forget," they spat angrily. The beast's eyes narrowed judgingly. "You're all the same, only focusing on what benefits yourselves. I was foolish back then, but not so now."

"You're a Digimon," Sora realized, his eyes wide. He brought his injured arm to his chest, using his healthy limb to apply pressure to the wound. The air stung it, causing him to grit his teeth. _A strong one too._

"Finally, something intelligent leaves your mouth," they congratulated dryly. With the roll of its eyes, the Digimon crossed its arms, as though severely bored. "The name's Dorumon," they introduced. "I'll doubt you'd have remembered that."

 _Dorumon. Dorumon. Dorumon._ Despite repeating the name and wracking his brain, he was unable to recognize it. _Why does this Digimon think they know me?_ "How do you think you know me? You didn't try to attack my friends back in the Digital World did you?" he challenged suspiciously.

"Just like a human to assume the worst in us," Dorumon scoffed. "I never understood why we would align ourselves with the likes of you." With a sudden burst of speed, he charged towards Sora.

The Keyblade master, continuing to grip his arm, leapt into the air. With a considerable deal of precision, he backflipped over the Digimon, landing nimbly on his feet.

"Running, you coward?" Dorumon sneered.

"No," he said with a simple shake of his head. Continuing to press his arm against his body, he hesitantly raised his other hand. In a flash of bright light, the Kingdom Key had appeared. The Digimon's eyes widened, taken aback. "Just needed time to gain the advantage," he informed, a confident grin coming to his face.

"A human with a weapon. I was not expecting this," Dorumon mused. He lashed his tail hesitantly. However, he seemed to settle down his nerves, charging towards him again.

Sora was ready this time though. He pointed his weapon towards the Digimon, standing his ground. Despite this, Digimon seemed to have taken a page out of his own book. It leaped into the air, flying above him. Once it was close enough, it gave him a hard back kick. He felt the razor sharp claws rake across his skin, not only leaving deep gashes in his back, but also shredding the nightgown he wore.

The boy gasped, pain erupting from the fresh wounds. The bandages that had been wrapped around his chest now lay discarded on the ground, the claws having cut them. _So much for a speedy recovery._ He gazed around the landscape, a thought occurring. "What did you do to the doctors?"

Dorumon tilted his head, seeming confused. "And what is a doctor?"

"The people I was with."

"There were no other humans with you," Dorumon spat. "Is this your attempt to throw me off? To allow yourself to escape?"

"There were two of them with me when you attacked me. Don't play dumb! What did you do to them?"

"I knew humans were slow, but I'd never had thought they'd be this slow," Dorumon commented distastefully.

Despite his anger flaring, Dorumon seemed to be telling the truth. He seemed much too proud to be a deceptive liar. _So then who was with me?_ "Look," he began, attempting to be sincere. "We seemed to have started off on the wrong foot. Can we just pretend this never happened and start over?" His scorching wounds tried to tell him otherwise, but he tried to ignore them.

Dorumon stood up straight, seemingly hesitant. Slowly, he walked towards Sora, giving him a cautious sniff. The Digimon cocked it's head, an inquisitive expression on its face. In a mere second however, it morphed into white hot rage. Giving a roar, he headbutted Sora directly in the chest, throwing the Keyblade master to the ground.

"You think me weak enough to align myself with a human? I'd never do such a thing. Even if I were to be with a human, I'd never pick you! I'd sooner die! I refuse to be nothing more than a pitiful pet." Dorumon bared his teeth, growling viciously.

Sora gasped, unable to breathe. He attempted to scramble to his feet, but found he could not even twitch his fingers, let alone move them. His vision was beginning to swim. The only thing he could discern was a purple blob advancing on him. He shut his eyes, the only thing he could do. He could do nothing, not now, and not ever again.

* * *

"I knew I should've worn those other shoes!" Rumiko Nonaka pouted. She clenched her eyes, tears running into her long golden locks of hair.

"If you'd worn the other shoes, you'd probably have a broken leg, not just a sprained ankle," Rika sighed, rolling her eyes. Her mother could be so dense sometimes.

"But I'd have looked absolutely _fabulous!_ Well, not as dazzling as you my dear."

Against her wishes, Rika's mother had made her wear a light blue dress. It had so much constricting frills and lace, along with distracting sparkles, Rika was surprised she could breathe, let alone not burst into flames. While at the studio, she'd been barraged by wave after wave of camera flashes and questions. _Do you plan to be a model like your mother? What will you do after high school? Are you single? Is it true you saved the world?_

"I think you were great, Rika," Renamon complimented. She had been envious of her partner who had simply looked on from the sidelines.

"Perhaps you'll have to come on stage sometimes Renamon. We'd be gorgeous!" her mother.

"I'd certainly be looked at." Renamon admitted. "But probably not the looks you desire."

Rika's mother gave a laugh. "Come now Renamon. Just like Rika, you have a sparkle about you. Both of you will be even more beautiful one day."

"What are you, a fortune cookie?" Rika retorted.

"I'm just telling the truth," she said nonchalantly, with the wave of her hand. "At least we're almost home. Are you alright Renamon?"

The Digimon who had been pushing her mother's wheelchair bobbed her head affirmatively. "I am fine. This is nothing. It is convenient for you to live near this hospital."

Rumiko nodded. "We need to care for Grandma now don't we?" She looked across the street. "Oh dear. It seems someone else has been hurt," she commented, pointing.

Rika looked at where her finger was pointing. Across the street was a white ambulance. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary besides the fact that the lights were flashing. However, there was no siren, and no paramedics. Beside her, Rika could feel Renamon tense up. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

Her partner seemed at a loss for words, her eyes narrow. "It's...it's him," she managed. Her gauntleted paws were gripped into fists. Despite the uncertainness in her voice, Renamon seemed hopeful, excited even. "It's Sora."

That was all Rika needed. "We'll be right back mom," she explained. "Me and Renamon are going to see if they need help." With that, the two of them raced across the deserted street, not waiting to hear her reply.

The landscape near the ambulance seemed deathly quiet. There were no people nearby, no animals either. Just endless concrete sidewalks and narrow strips of lawn. Actually, scratch that, there were two lifeforms.

One was very familiar, Rika recognized it as the Digimon that she saw with Ryo the other day. It was much different than the previous day. It was splayed on the ground at the moment, long cuts and bruises found everywhere on its poor body. The Digimon had no strength to fight back, let alone stand. It's eyes were close, unconscious, as a dead Digimon would simply disintegrate.

The other life form was also vaguely familiar. They were humanoid, sporting spiky hair and a shredded blue nightgown. They looked a lot like a boy, however, Rika could've been sure she'd been looking at a demon. Despite looking like a human, their hair, their skin, they were both completely pitch black. Where their hands should've been were two sharpened claws made of some sort of shadowy substance. The same shadowy aura continuously drifted into the air. Two bright yellow eyes blinked at her, the figure standing on their hands and feet like a feral beast of some sort.

"Sora?" Rika questioned hesitantly. This did not look anything like the hero Renamon had described to her in great detail. This seemed more like the ultimate supervillain.

"It is Sora," Renamon confirmed. "But there is something wrong with him. Much like when Jeri was possessed by the D-Reaper, I sense another presence with him." she explained.

 _What an honor. Meeting both Renamon and the famous Rika. You shall be wonderful additions to the world of darkness._

Rika heard a voice, but the savage creature's lips didn't seem to move. Moreover, it seemed to be talking to her with it's mind. Her brain was bombed with thoughts of deep endless abysses and eternal darkness.

"Diamond Storm," Renamon exclaimed, flinging her attack at the entity. It seemed to hit it's mark, dust flying into the air as her attack collided with the concrete as well.

 _Tsk tsk, attacking an old friend Renamon? How could you? I'm sure Sora would be disappointed with you._

Rika and Renamon whirled around, attempting to find the source of the voice that plagued their minds. However, the dust was still in the air, making it difficult to see. "What have you done to him?" Renamon challenged, her voice filled with rage. The Rookie Digimon, despite her emotions, seemed to keep her nerve, taking a deep breath and scanning the surrounding area.

The shadow came crashing from above, slashing at Renamon with its cruel claws. However, she was ready for him. "Diamond Storm!" she repeated, once again throwing her projectiles. This attack was much more successful, both Rika and her partner clearly watching the white shards make contact with their opponent. His body was flung into the sky, the attack blowing him backwards.

"That should give him something to chew on," Rika cheered. It'd been ages since she'd seen Renamon wipe the floor with someone. The recent beat down was definitely bringing up some old nostalgia.

 _Come on. You punks think I'd be this easy?_

A large column made of darkness erupted from the ground, Renamon barely dodging it as she backflipped away. Another formed below her, lunging towards her too swiftly for her to counter. The shadow engulfed her, returning into the ground, and leaving her beaten body. There were no visible wounds on Renamon, but it seemed her energy was drained.

"Renamon!" Rika cried out, attempting to run towards her partner. She drew a card from her back pocket. "Digi-Mod-"

The dark figure swatted the card from her hand, somersaulting over Rika and landing neatly on his feet. _Can't have you interfering now can we?_ He raised his claws, taking a step towards her. _Don't worry princess. It's your turn now._

"Rika run…" Renamon sputtered weakly. She became enveloped in a white yellow light. A few seconds later, there lay Vixiemon.

Rika's heart was beating so loudly she wouldn't be surprised to find it in her mouth. This monster, it hadn't even been a full minute and Renamon was already the weakest she's been in a long time. Despite her pride yelling at her to stay and stand her ground, her mind was screaming at her to flee. Her mind won, using superior logic to reason with her pride.

Being driven by stone cold fear, the Tamer raced towards her fallen partner, scooping her up as she ran past where she had collapsed. Despite running known to bring warmth to the body, her own body felt like a popsicle.

 _Going somewhere?_

Rika looked over her shoulder, expecting to see "Sora." However, there was nobody there. Consequently, she bumped into a solid object, causing her to fall onto her behind. She looked up, the boy having somehow get in front of her.

 _You must be crazy if you think I'll let a meal as delectable as you slip through my fingers._ Malicious teeth seemed to echo throughout her brain, filling her with more fear. Vixiemon gave an unsettled moan, most likely sensing his sinister aura through her oblivious dreams. He took another step forward, clearly savoring her helplessness.

"You have a lot of nerve if you think I'll be defeated by the likes of you," an unfamiliar voice challenged. Rika looked around, confused. Seconds later though, a purple Digimon had gripped onto Sora, clawing at his face.

Rika took this opportunity to get to her feet and run across the street, not looking back. She received a worried look from her mother as she plopped Vixiemon in her lap, grabbed the wheelchair handles, and began to run home.

"Rika sweetheart, what's going on?"

"There isn't time for this mom!" Rika snapped, silencing her. She'd think she'd been a bit harsh, but as she had stated, there wasn't time for dilly dallying. She needed to get her mother home safe, and get Renamon up and moving again. With enough preparation, her friends should be able to back her up, and together, they could free Sora of whatever was possessing him.

"Rika hold on a minute!" Rumiko exclaimed. The loudness of her voice caused Rika to leave her mind, almost flipping her mother out of her chair in the process. She'd never heard her mother sound so panicked before. She looked up, learning why that was.

They were surrounded.

* * *

Suzie was scared. No, she wasn't 'there's a spider on the wall' scared. Nor was she 'your tutu was put in the laundry with Henry's soccer uniform and is now green' scared. No. She was 'about to pee her pants scared because it seemed like the world was ending and now here she was without her brother or Lopmon or anyone' scared.

After she had been yelled at by Henry, she'd run away to the park, where they used to hold the Tamer meetings. She'd show him. She'd show everyone how brave she was by thwarting the plots of the evil Digimon that currently lived there. That she truly deserved to be a Tamer.

After having an intense meeting with a Doggymon, clearly not the same one that had pranked her in the Digital World two years ago, she'd had a lovely time. It had decided to teach her how to prepare eggs. Afterwards, she'd gotten to spoon feed them for the Swanmon she'd cared for. She really loved that part. Especially when she got to dab at its beak with a napkin because there was a bit of leftover cooking oil on it. Suzie had been playing a wonderful game of Patty-Cake with the Doggymon when all of a sudden, Swanmon collapsed.

"Is he okay?" Suzie asked, concerned. Doggymon shook its head violently.

The Digimon raced over towards its friend, grabbing their unconscious body and draping it over their shoulder. Doggymon looked over their other shoulder to look at Suzie, motioning with its head for her to follow.

"Where are we going?" she asked. The Digimon hadn't tried to hurt her as of yet. Besides, she'd love to see the look on Henry's face when she proved him wrong. Doggymon seemed quite the opposite of a "vicious Digimon." At the moment, Doggymon was leaving the decrepit hut Guilmon had called home. He was hurriedly rushing towards some nearby trees that led into the city streets, Swanmon on his shoulder in one paw, and his other paw clenched tightly around her hand. "Slow down!"

The Digimon disregarded her request, only picking up even more speed. Suzie was all but being dragged by the surprisingly strong dog. One moment, the two of them were flying into town.

The next, Suzie was thrown onto the ground, Doggymon lunging in her direction. She looked back at him, a large billowing column of flame behind him. "What's that!?" she shrieked, point in that direction.

They were small, but numerous. About as big as a lampshade, and similar in shape as well, were small red creatures. A sinister black heart crossed out with a red X was emblazoned on each wore pointed tan hats, small yellow eyes peering below the brim. Small bird-like feet stuck out from under their cone shaped bodies, seeming too small and thin to support the creatures should they walk. This had no negative effect on them however, as every single one of them was hovering fairly high into the air. Fireballs floated above their heads, aiming another barrage as their first wave missed its mark.

Doggymon gave a mute growl, its face full of determination. It stood protectively in front of her, having gently put Swanmon on the ground. The Digimon seemed to want her to run, based on the various gestures it was making as it stared down its opponents.

However, Suzie couldn't feel her feet. The only thing she could feel was the icy terror that ran through her veins. _Henry was right. Maybe I shouldn't be a Tamer._ She gazed fearfully around, there was nobody to come to her aid.

And so, the wave of fireballs were released, raining down upon them as though the apocalypse had just begun.

With quick thinking, Doggymon grabbed a metal trashcan lid from a nearby flipped over bin. Holding onto the handle, it braced itself as it used the garbage lid as a shield of some sort. The tactic was partially successful, stopping two of the fireballs in their tracks. However, three more took their place, whizzing through the molten aluminum lid and directly hitting Doggymon squarely in the chest.

The Digimon crumpled to the ground, defeated. Her protector defeated, the monsters turned to look at her with their soulless, unblinking, yellow eyes.

"Do it now!" came the voice of a familiar miracle Suzie was only too happy to hear.

Instantaneously, red heart shaped bubbles appeared, encasing the enemies and putting them in a "cage". Once enveloped, the bubbles began to shrink, popping once they became nothingness, taking the enemies with them. Had Suzie not been stone cold scared and shocked, she'd be crying with relief.

"Fear the wrath of our Heart Bubbles!" Kenta challenged in a pathetic effort to sound cool. However, the war cry fell on deaf ears, causing Suzie to suddenly forget her fear for a moment and burst out laughing. He walked over to her, pulling her off the ground. "You alright Suzie?"

"I think so," she replied hesitantly. Against her better wishes, she was still trembling. However, she could feel her senses starting to settle down, now that the encounter was over. "Oh!" she exclaimed panickedly. "We need to help them!" Suzie crouched down, cradling the heads of Doggymon and Swanmon in her lap.

MarineAngemon hovered closely, stopping in front of the fallen Digimon. The small Mega Digimon then closed his eyes in concentration, a small red heart forming in front of his chest. The bubble began to expand little by little, growing to about the size of a refrigerator.

"They'll be alright Suzie, don't worry," Kenta attempted to reassure. "MarineAngemon will patch them up in no time." Suzie could only nod as she watched tensely.

MarineAngemon flew in between his patients, allowing the bubble to gently envelop them. The two limp bodies floated lazily, rising off of the ground almost half heartedly, bobbing up and down slowly. A pink aura surrounded them, filling Suzie with a small bit of warmth. Something seemed to be happening for the better for once.

Kenta sat on the grass, patting a spot on the ground next to him. "It'll be a while before they wake up. Come sit over here." She complied, almost woodenly settling down next to her heroic savior.

Suzie didn't really have much to say. There never really was much to say when a small nine year old girl is nearly roasted alive by weird monster-like creatures. So she decided she would sit in awkward silence, the kind she had grown used to.

However, Kenta seemed to have other ideas. "So," he began a little hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay." she replied in a monotone voice. Sure she'd have nightmares for a whole two weeks, but that would blow over. Perhap

"Actually I meant about before," he clarified.

Suzie thought back, her eyes drifting to the now interesting terrain. "Oh." she voiced unenthusiastically. "I don't know."

"You want to talk about it?" Kenta offered.

She would've loved to open up, but she just didn't know what to say. The words she wanted to express herself with didn't want to reveal themselves. Unable to think, she simply opened and closed her mouth wordlessly.

"Don't worry about it. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"That's not it," Suzie blurted, surprised she was actually able to utter something.

"Then what is it?" he asked curiously. His fingers fiddled with his pants pockets nervously.

MarineAngemon gently put Swanmon and Doggymon onto the ground, wobbling exhaustedly towards Kenta and collapsing into his outstretched arms.

"They must've been really beat up if it took this much out of him," Kenta observed. "You think you'll be okay?" His Digimon nuzzled its head against his chest before closing its eyes and drifting into a nap.

The spectacled Tamer gave an affectionate smile before turning his gaze back to Suzie. "I decided to follow you." His eyes widened for a moment. "Not in a creepy way or anything. I would never try to be like a stalker or something," he sputtered, his voice increasing in pitch as he panicked. Kenta closed his eyes and gave a deep breath, calming himself down. When he opened his eyes, he was as collected as he was before. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he explained.

"I just wish Henry believed in me," Suzie blurted out, surprising both herself and her friend. Her mind was racing, her mouth seizing the opportunity to take control before it seized up again. "He never takes me seriously and always wants to leave me out of everything." She could feel her face warming up as her emotions began to surge. "I wish he didn't have to be so mean all the time."

"It's just how he cares. I mean, how long do you think it took for me to get Rika to trust me?" he asked. An encouraging smile was plastered onto his face, helping calm herself down. "She may always yell at me, but she does count on me when she needs me. Even if she doesn't want to admit it," he whispered with a wink, causing Suzie to laugh. "I'll take whatever I can get as long as she doesn't lump me together with Kazu."

Sluggish movement caught Suzie's eyes. Reacting, she turned her gaze to look at a Doggymon attempting to stand. "You're okay!" she exclaimed in relief.

The Digimon cracked opened it's eyes before giving her a weary smile. Now in a sitting position, Doggymon tentatively looked around the surrounding area.

"It's safe," Kenta comforted. "MarineAngemon healed you. Glad to see you're okay."

Doggymon nodded gratefully. However, it turned its head to look over at Swanmon, it's small smile fading.

"Will it be okay?" Suzie asked meekly.

"MarineAngemon has the ability to heal wounds. However, the energy of a Digimon is not restored. Swanmon will be fine physically, but it must be exhausted."

Doggymon gave a solemn nod before slowly standing to its feet. The Champion Digimon pointed at Swanmon, then dragging it's finger to point at Kenta.

"You want us to take Swanmon?" he translated.

The Digimon nodded.

"But where are you going?" Suzie asked.

Doggymon simply gave a warm smile, not revealing their intentions. Instead, it strode towards the both of them, enveloping them in a tight hug, before running back in the direction of the park.

"Come back!" Suzie exclaimed. However, the Digimon now running on all fours did not turn around. She watched him run into the distance, her eyes watching his blue ears bob up and down the farther he became.

"No use in going after him. He seems to be capable of looking out for himself," Kenta consoled. "We should probably try to meet up if these weird creatures are back." Suzie nodded, giving a little sniffle.

"I need to find Lopmon."

"She should still be at the playground with everyone else. If we're fast enough, we can meet up with everyone before they leave to look for us."

"Okay." Kenta took her hand, leading her back in the right direction. He used his other arm to shoulder the delicate, if not heavy, unconscious Digimon. The two of them began to run, eager to reunite with their friends.

"It's futile to run from destiny." a familiar deep voice echoed. However, she couldn't seem to place the face.

Kenta looked around wildly. "Wh-where are you?" he stuttered, failing to hide how spooked he was.

"I am here, I am there. I am everywhere," the voice elaborated, only confusing Suzie even further. Based on Kenta's expression, he was in the same boat. "You may only be pawns, but even you must play your part. How else shall the king conquer all?"

"You know they're a bad guy when they start to bring chess into their monologues," Kenta informed, bringing back his calm exterior from before.

"There never is a "bad guy." There are simply those who stand in the way of what shall be. It is beyond your comprehension, for now. Until we meet again."

There was nothing but silence for the next few seconds. Despite the fact that the encounter was obviously over, Kenta stayed put, carefully looking around the surrounded area should any clues arise. However, he found nothing. "I suggest we leave before whoever that was comes back. Despite the "pleasant conversation," he seemed a bit rushed."

"Let's go to the playground," Suzie agreed. She was quite eager to leave as well. There were too many scary encounters lately. Whatever happened to the days where she would be playing with Lopmon instead of doing her homework?

Thankfully the playground wasn't empty. Suzie gave a relieved smile as she saw yet another familiar face sitting on a bench.

"You're back!" Ryo exclaimed in a jubilance. The Tsunomon that had been sleeping in his lap awoke with a start. "Sorry," he apologized to it. The In-Training gave a little nod in acceptance before closing its eyes and resuming its nap. "That Swanmon alright?" he asked curiously, eyeing Kenta's passenger.

"It's just tired. Where's Henry?" she asked. Looking around the park, she didn't see another soul, except for Cyberdramon who was pacing around the grass.

"Him, Takato, and the Digimon went out looking for you," he explained, his voice hardening a bit. "I decided to wait here in case you came back." His grin reappeared on his face, putting her at ease. "Nice job finding her Kenta."

"Thanks," the Tamer responded curtly. "I wish that was our biggest problem though. We were attacked by those things again." Ryo's face fell at the news.

"We need to contact everyone and stick together. Now." He dug into his back pocket and retrieved his phone, rapidly dialing. "Hey." A few moments went by as the person on the other end responded. "I know, I know. But we got trouble." Another response rolled by. "Just get to the playground as quickly as you can. I'll explain everything when you get here." With that done he hung up before dialing another number. "Kenta, think you can give Henry a heads up? I doubt he'll want to talk to me." Before Suzie could ask what he meant by that, he was already talking to another person.

"Everything will be okay," Kenta assured her. Suzie wished she believed that though. The last time she ran into those creatures, it didn't end well.

* * *

A dark purple portal appeared behind him. However, he wasn't surprised, he had sensed the Corridor of Darkness forming.

The view from his skyscraper was pitiful at best. All these humans mulling about their business; they greeted one another, traveled in numerous groups, as well as be quite noisy. They may have annoyed him day after day, but that would change now that they all had one sole purpose. Fodder for his Heartless.

He sensed the presence of his associate. "Welcome back," he purred. "You took longer than I expected.

No reply was given. That was to be expected however.

Another Corridor opened nearby, this time a tall figure in a black coat identical to the one he wore, stepping through. "I have achieved my purpose for the moment."

"Very good" he commended. "Soon our operations shall be a bit more...permanent. Then we can resume our true goal."

"We will need another candidate,"

"Do not fret," he soothed. " I have one in mind," He eyed his mute associate with great interest from underneath his hood. "I must make preparations." He turned towards his fellow coat. "If this is to work, you must gather as many Hearts as you can. Use the Heartless wisely, and this will not fail."

"Don't worry," they replied as they summoned another Corridor. "I'm not eager to stay like this myself." The figure walked through, turning to look back as the Corridor began to shrink. They gave a malicious grin, clearly enjoying their next assignment at having to gather the Hearts of humans.

"Come," he commanded to his mute companion. "We have much to do."

The humanoid with black spiky hair and skin followed, lumbering forward like a zombie. A loud of frustration seared through his mind. Clearly, he did not like to be ordered around, having to fight to remain captain of the vessel.

"You shall have complete control soon enough."

A sinister grin with sharp teeth was projected, that seemed to have appeased him. Now then, no time for dawdling, there was work to be done.

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **None**

 **Kingdom Hearts**

 **Red Nocturne**

 **Author's Note: I couldn't help but make Kenta a little bit of a badass. I feel he needs a little more love in the community. Kazu is...well Kazu is Kazu. He might get there one day.**


	17. All I Wanna Do is See You

**I know… It's been a long time since I've updated. I hope you have not forgotten me, because I have far from forgotten you, my wonderful readers. Not only have I been dealing with an extreme case of writer's block, but I also have been dealing with college and such. I'll have you know though, that this chapter received a lot of love. For one thing, I'm trying a bit of a different style. I usually try to stick to two or three points of view a chapter. But because there is just so much going on, I figured I'd try put more point of views in. They'll be a tad shorter, but I wanted to see what would happen. I've also had a bit of trouble putting this chapter together. I've been writing, then rewriting, I just wasn't quite happy with what I was coming up with. The stuff that isn't seen in this chapter, it will definitely be in the next one, I can promise you that. Now then, I try to make this as interactive as I can. So here is a question for you. What is your favorite chapter so far? I'd like to know so that if there is a certain emotion or scene or character you'd like to see more of, I'll know what you guys would like. It would definitely give me some sort of objective, maybe even help write faster if I know what you're all looking for. Anyways, you should know the motto by now: Read, Relax, and Enjoy! :D**

* * *

This would make a great edition to some sort of story written about his twisted life. Boy meets life long friend and companion. Boy and said companion save the world, only to be separated. Boy and companion are reunited. Boy's sister runs away in the middle of an apocalyptic event and is lost and possibly in a large amount of danger. And it's all his fault.

"Don't worry Henry, we'll find her soon." Takato consoled as they biked through the streets. Henry couldn't help but give a smile, he had read his mind.

"I wish I believed that." The smile disappeared, his worries increasing. "I shouldn't have yelled at her like that. Even though it was stupid of her to run off like that."

"Henry," Terriermon said in a warning tone. Henry was surprised his partner could ever sound like that. His tone sounded quite similar to when _he_ was telling Terriermon off. "It's not her fault."

"You pick anything up?" Takato interrupted.

Guilmon gave a sad moan. "It's hard to smell with all these shadows." It was true, the numerous creatures were everywhere. They lined the streets, simply standing on the sidewalk. None of them appeared to be doing any damage like before though, which was quite strange.

"They do look a lot like shadows," Henry agreed. A thought occurred to him, finally giving him a sense of direction instead of just searching aimlessly in town like they'd been doing. "Let's go to my house. If she's mad, she'll hopefully be in her room." They turned the next corner, heading towards his apartment.

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Now is not the time to be worrying about me," a strained Kyubimon panted. She could tell Rika didn't believe her though. Rika didn't weigh much, but at the moment, her Tamer felt as heavy as a dense lumber log. But she couldn't fail, not here, and not now.

Kyubimon had already failed in her battle with Sora. She'd been failing battle after battle, constantly being thrown around and beaten down like a chew toy. After Sora had drained her energy, reverting her back to her In-Training form, she had woken up at Rika's house. Her partner filled her in, telling her how she had barely managed to get her mother home.

Rika had insisted Renamon sit this fight out, but she was not going to standby again. As much as she hesitated, she's been weak.

Yes, Sora saved her life. He saved the lives of her comrades, her friends, Rika; these were all true. But she can't allow herself to hesitate. Not anymore. If Kyubimon wanted to protect Rika, she can't drop everything to find a human she barely knows.

"Nearly to the playground," Kyubimon updated.

"Good. We need to figure out how to get rid of these...things," Rika supplied uncertainly.

The golden nine tailed fox continued to plod on, slowing down gradually.

"Kyubimon?"

"We have company," she explained.

"Friendly?"

Rika couldn't see the small smirk that spread across her muzzle. "Of a sort."

On cue, large audible stomps echoed throughout the air. A round brown figure stamped to Kyubimon's side, keeping pace with her.

"Heeeey Rika," Kazu greeted with high energy, waving from Guardromon's shoulders.

Rika gave an audible groan, only broadening Kyubimon's smirk.

"Hey Kazu," Rika reciprocated far less enthusiastically, all but muttering the phrase from behind her hands.

"So you get a call from Ryo too? Dunno about you, but I'm ready to defend the planet again."

"I hope you'll take this seriously Kazu," Kyubimon interjected, attempting to distract herself from her fatigue.

"Yeah yeah. I'm just glad I'll be here to save the day. I don't want my heroic muscles to get stiff."

"When did you develop muscles?" Guardromon asked curiously.

"I've always had them. Who else is going to save Ryo?" Rika gagged in disgust.

Silence resounded, the Tamers riding in silence. It wasn't long before they arrived at the playground, catching sight of Ryo, Kenta and Suzie waiting for them.

"Sup Kenta." Kazu was grinning ear to ear, quickly rushing over to his target before giving him a rough noogie. "You done wetting your pants so us true heroes can get to work?"

Kenta backed away, rubbing his hair as he attempted to put it back into place. "I was here being a hero long before you showed up," he shot back.

"Glad to see some friendly faces," Ryo greeted enthusiastically. His voice seemed to cancel the death glares his fellow Tamers were shooting at each other.

Kyubimon kneeled, allowing Rika to dismount from her back and walk towards her friends. Despite her Tamer no longer contributing her weight, she could still feel a large amount of strain taking its toll.

A flash of light surrounded her, her body shifting its shape. Mere moments later, she had reverted back to Renamon. Her fatigue seemed to have lifted somewhat, now that she was in a form she no longer needed to maintain.

"What are we to do?" she asked, ready to get to work.

Ryo's smile fell, a serious scowl replacing it. "I've called everyone, letting them know what happened. I've got you guys here with me, while Henry and Takato are on their way over. Beelzemon is also on his way, but he said he had some stuff to do before he arrived here."

"Let's just go clear these guys out no problem," Kazu interjected. He smiled confidently as he removed a small card binder from Guardromon's chest. "They can't be any harder than the D-Reaper. And if they are, I've got this baby to beat them down."

Kenta leaned in looking at the card Kazu was pointing to, their spat from before forgotten already. "A gold tinted Patamon card?! Ah man, I'd give you my dog if you'd trade it to me."

"Only the best card for the best Tamer," Kazu boasted immensely. He closed the binder, nearly catching Kenta's nose, before placing it back inside his partner.

"You idiots do realize that card will be useless in a fight right?" Rika asked.

"You're just jealous," Kazu accused.

"Sorry Kazu, but she's right." Ryo clarified. "Rare cards aren't necessarily powerful. In fact, most of them are usually just for looks, like your Patamon. Even some of the most basic cards are better than them."

The usually cocky Tamer looked crestfallen, looking at the ground as he used his hat to hide his face.

"Kazu?" Guardromon asked in concern.

"It's alright," his Tamer said in a voice that was a higher pitch than normal. "I'll just have to find another card. One that's way better than this one." He tilted his head back up. "But for now, let's kick some monster ass."

Ryo shot Kazu a glare so intensive, Renamon was surprised the Tamer was not nothing but a pile of ash. "Kazu," he said in a quiet voice. She normally pictured rage as a fiery hot emotion. In this case however, Ryo's rage was much colder, icelike. Instead of engulfing flames, his anger seemed to chill to the bone.

The furious Tamer stepped to the side, revealing Suzie holding an In-Training Digimon. The poor girl was in tears. Clutching the Digimon, she ran a short distance, hiding behind a tree.

"Oh."

"I'll go talk to her," Ryo volunteered, his jaw still clenched. However, Rika was faster.

"Don't bother, you'll just make it worse." With that, Renamon felt obliged to follow, the two of them coming to where Suzie sat.

"Hello little one," Renamon greeted. In turn, both Suzie and the Digimon she was holding, a Tsunomon, looked up.

"Hello," the Tsunomon reciprocated cheerfully. Despite the sad little girl that was holding onto it, it seemed content.

"Hi Renamon," Suzie said dejectedly.

"Rough day?" Rika asked in an unusually soft voice. The last time Renamon had heard Rika like this was when she had broken down in the hospital cafeteria weeks ago.

"It's not the bad word," Suzie relented. "I hear Daddy call sunglasses man that a lot. I just wish everyone would stop fighting," she whimpered meekly, tears cascading onto Tsunomon.

"We have no choice but to fight," Rika mumbled. "If we don't, everyone we want to protect, everyone you love, they'll all be gone."

"That doesn't mean everyone has to yell at each other like that," Suzie's voice raised angrily. She removed her hands from Tsunomon, instead crossing her arms. The Digimon plopped onto the ground, looking up at the frustrated youth.

"They yell because they too, are frightened. I have seen many Digimon do this before battle." Renamon interjected gently. "Especially when we had to lay down our lives to protect the village." She swallowed with great difficulty, the memories racing through her head. Even though by human standards it had been only a month, those adventures she had shared with her companions seemed lifetimes away. "It allows us to cope."

"If yelling at me makes everyone feel better, then they can go right on ahead!"

"Suzie, that's not what Renamon meant," Rika attempted to explain. However, Renamon could sense her patience was growing thin. Her voice had begun to gain an edge.

"It's not like I'm not used to everybody yelling at me! Everyone treats me like a little kid when all I want to do is help. Why can't everyone see I'm on your side!" Angry tears trickled down Suzie's face, being absorbed into the soil she stood on.

"If I may interject," an unfamiliar voice suggested. Renamon looked down at the Tsunomon, the little Digimon having bounced up to her. " Perhaps you give this smaller human some space. She's too worked up to see reason at the moment."

"I can see your point," Renamon agreed, kneeling before her companion. Looking back up, Suzie and Rika seemed to be in a shouting match, Rika attempting to forcefully console her, Suzie denying all claims. "May I ask how you came here?"

"I was once apart of the village you spoke of. However, some strange force began to attack us, entering through dark holes into the world. During the chaos, I and many others fell through these holes, ending up into this world. Now, I look for my savior, hoping they too can come through."

"You are looking for someone who saved you?" Renamon asked. Sora flashed through her mind, bringing up painful memories from their previous endeavor. "I know what you mean. It's not an easy road, but I hope your friend will be safe."

The Tsunomon gave a slight nod, smiling in a positive way. "They'll come through. I just know it!" Renamon couldn't help but give a smile as well, positivity was a very contagious virus.

"Rika, we must go. Ryo will want you to help plan our next move." Her Tamer gave a huff before brusquely walking away from Suzie. The small Tamer turned her back to them, leaning her head against a tree as she wept.

"If that girl's attitude doesn't get her killed, I don't know what will." Rika muttered fiercely. At this, Renamon's small smile broadened, earning a suspicious look from Rika. "What?"

"She just reminds me of you," Renamon teased. "You two are quite alike in many ways." This caused Rika to stop in her tracks, a pondering look on her face.

"You may be onto something," she muttered thoughtfully. Rika resumed her walking, walking side by side on their way to talk to Ryo.

* * *

 _He'll love these_. Miss Asagi grinned as she thought about the peanut butter animal crackers hidden in one of the numerous grocery bags she carried.

Sora was still to be on a liquid diet, however, that didn't mean she couldn't spoil him with a treat once in awhile. Among the groceries she had bought, besides the essentials of course, she'd enthusiastically gotten some sugar free jello, chocolate pudding, and some mini vanilla parfaits sprinkled with cinnamon apples on top.

Normally, she'd have taken the bus to the supermarket, however it seemed that some sort of disaster had befallen it, many strips of police tape blocking the parking lot. So, she had ended up walking to a local grocery store a fair distance away. This didn't trouble her though, a walk would be nothing but good for her.

Besides, there didn't seem to be any people around. It surprised her actually. Not only was there no cars whizzing past her on the streets, she'd not seen a soul, save for the few cashiers at the grocery store. _Perhaps there's some sort of event or holiday going on._ New crazy holidays were being created every year. The last one she remembered was about a day that worshipped everything about pants.

People could be quite ridiculous when they desired to be.

It wasn't much farther to her house. She would be grateful when she put all this food away, the bags she was carrying were starting to hurt her fingers. They weren't uncomfortably heavy, but the more she carried them, the deeper they seemed to push into her open palms.

She exhaled a sigh, feeling a little nervous. The small bit of satisfaction she had felt earlier evaporated, disappearing with a _poof_. The doctors she had left Sora with seemed positive he was in tip top shape. For the injured state he was in, that is. He had made remarkable strides in his recovery, and was flourishing in her care. However, that didn't erase the worries that they would take him away. That for some unknown reason, Sora would be taken away due to a complication.

As she turned the corner, Miss Asagi froze. Her mouth grew dry, her fingers grew numb, her heart raced uncontrollably.

On her front lawn was an overturned wheelchair, the sidewalk adjacent to it stained with a large pool of dried blood. Her front door was wide open.

The newly acquired groceries fell onto the ground, easily forgotten. _No no no no!_ Her mind panicked wildly as her feet went into autopilot, swifty sprinting into her house. The teacher slid across her hardwood floor, slamming painfully into the wall that greeted her.

But that didn't matter at the moment. She pulled herself off the ground, stood up, and tore through the door that lead to her bedroom.

It was empty, the covers in a disheveled mess.

 _He's gone._ Her mind clicked, catching up with the trail of clues. _No, not yet._ There was still one or two more places she had to check before coming to a conclusion.

At a much less irrational pace compared to before, she calmly made her way outside, creeping towards the ambulance that was parked against the sidewalk.

It seemed abandoned, but that wouldn't deter her. Walking to the backside, she grabbed the handle and gave a yank. Surprisingly unlocked, the ambulance doors opened like magic.

However, there was no sign of Sora. Everything inside seemed neat and pristine, as though time had frozen.

She took a couple of steps backwards, the strength starting to leave her legs. Her back pushed against something solid, causing her to whip around. A large tall figure in a black coat , standing about two heads higher than her, looked down at her, their arms crossed. Based on height and stance, she'd guess a man over a woman. She'd learned to read these kind of things when her students attempted to sneak into class late, attempting to disguise themselves in their hoodie jackets.

"I-I'm sorry sir," she apologized in a fidgety voice. "A-actually-" she could feel her emotions taking control. Even the defeat and grief in her voice was plain for any bystander to notice. "-have you seen a boy around?"

The hooded person continued to look at her. She could not see a face, but if she could, she'd probably see a glare.

"H-he's this tall, spiky brown hair, blue eyes, and wearing a lot of bandages," she informed, holding her hand to the specified height.

"Why yes, I have," a rich voice answered silkily. The man offered a gloved hand. "If you come with me, you may see this boy."

Pure happiness radiated from her chest, her fear melting into a forgotten memory. "Oh thank you sir!" she exclaimed jubilantly. Miss Asagi gratefully took his hand, her luck finally changing for the better.

"He is not far," her guide promised. He led her down the sidewalk, the two of them passing the overturned wheelchair, puddle of blood, and the remains of what used to be a cast.

"Is he safe? He's not hurt anymore is he?" Miss Asagi asked fearfully.

"Sora is resting at the moment. However, it is a shame you will not see him."

The teacher stopped cold in her tracks, releasing the gloved hand she had eagerly latched onto. "I never told you his name," she suspiciously accused. "What did you do with him!" she yelled, her cheeks burning shamefully. _Why did I have to be such an idiot and trust an absolute stranger?!_ She really needed to give herself a mental kick once in awhile.

"Hmph," the man chuckled, as though both amused and bored with her. "It does not matter how I know Sora. It will not matter to you much longer either," He snapped his fingers, making an audible sound despite the glove.

On cue, about a dozen or so various shadowy creatures poofed into existence. Not even a second after the summon, they lunged, Miss Asagi unable to even inhale another breath.

She felt cold cruel claws rip through her chest, the last thing she would ever feel. What was left of her consciousness was slowly rising into the sky, spinning slowly. Miss Asagi watched as the remains of her body slumped to the ground, the monsters surrounding her, hopping in a mad frenzy.

And then, her consciousness stopped spinning, instead winking out of existence. The teacher was no more.

* * *

"C'mon you lazy bum. Wake up!" A musical voice insisted.

"Mhm?" Sora groaned weakly. He was surprised he was able to make an audible noise. He didn't have the energy to move his body, barely able to think straight. It was as though every single piece of his body were tied to an anvil, thrown in front of a train, and then lit on fire. It was a bad day to be him.

He opened his eyelids for a few seconds before closing them due to lack of energy. How was he supposed to wake up when he clearly couldn't? He decided to keep his eyes shut, perhaps a nap would help conserve his energy.

Some time later, his consciousness became aware again. The nap had _NOT_ been a good idea. It seemed impossible, but he had even less energy than before. Of course he ended up in some sort of alternate dimension where napping was a terrible terrible idea. There went his whole summer vacation out the window.

 _Wait, summer vacation? Where did that come from?_ Getting a surge of determination, he opened his eyes, looking for what he desired.

However, it was as though he never opened his eyes in the first place. He desperately but groggily blinked, just to make sure, coming to the realization that he was in complete and total pitch black darkness.

Gathering the microscopic strength he had left, he poured every last amount of energy he had into his voice. It was nearly impossible to breathe, the darkness seeming to constrict him, but he managed to inhale a tiny amount.

"Ro-" was all he could manage to whisper before he passed out again.

It was the enraged screaming that aroused him this time. The words themselves were garbled, as though speaking a foreign language in slow motion, but the emotion behind them were all too clear. Wherever Sora was, the emotion of whatever was shouting seemed to pierce him. Imagine having a frozen popsicle, and then taking a nice big chomp out of it, teeth and all. Now multiply that times about one thousand, three hundred and thirty six, and that'd be about what he felt.

Sora could no longer think, nor talk, nor even feel. All he could do was exist on the brink of wherever he was. He was aware of nothing, couldn't even feel his own body.

The twisted sounds continued to bombard his ears relentlessly. However, he couldn't comprehend it, let alone attempt to figure out what was going on. Based on how weak and fragile he felt, Sora was honestly surprised he had some sort of awareness of any kind.

With the next excruciating scream, something seemed to snap inside him. The darkness around him seemed to recede, revealing the first bursts of color he had seen in what felt like millennia. Splashes of grey, black, purple, and brown flashed swifty, temporarily blinding him as his eyes were not used to so much contrast.

Sora blinked rapidly, his hands gripping fiercely to whatever they were holding onto at the moment. He looked down, realizing it was his Kingdom Key. That's where the confusion ended and the nightmare began.

In front of him was a tall humanoid creature, looking a lot like some sort of Heartless. However, unlike the Heartless, it wore clothes; consisting of spiked metal shoes, black leather pants, a red bandana wrapped around its only arm and an armored black chest piece. Where the other arm should've been, the limb was replaced with a large hefty laser cannon of some sort. It had large black feathery wings that were folded neatly against its back. A purple mask covered their face, but Sora could plainly see the three green eyes that stared at him angrily.

Despite the anger, there also seemed to be a lot of pain as well. It was understandable though. It was hard to remain calm when there was a Keyblade buried deep in your chest.

"Hah," The entity gasped painfully. "Ya gonna have ta try harder than that ta take me down," they grunted in a menacing voice. The demonic man lashed an unknown tail Sora had not seen earlier. Despite the bravado, they were clearly on their last legs.

" _Gladly,"_ an unknown voice accepted, almost gleefully. Sora attempted to turn his head, but found he was unable to. So, he was forced to stared into his adversary's eyes. Despite the obvious hostility, and the fact that he knew he had never seen anything like this on his journeys, there was something familiar about the way those eyes burned into his.

Despite being stabbed at the moment, the creature gave a swift kick aimed for Sora's head.

He attempted to dodge, but was still unable to move his body. At least on his own anyways. Somehow, despite standing still, he was unharmed.

" _I was promised a challenge. However, you're much less worthy than you make yourself out to be."_ The voice sounded quite bored.

Sora however was beginning to panic. Whatever he was fighting was clearly not a Heartless, not if it talked. He attempted to dismiss his Keyblade, but nothing happened.

" _I think I've had enough of you. It's about time I reported back. Otherwise I'll be stuck in this cursed body for longer than needed."_

"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots." he retorted weakly.

"Good, you should be," Without his authorization, the Keyblade he was holding plunged deeper into the victim's chest, giving a cruel twist with the weapon. Kingdom Key was then removed before giving another swipe.

On contact, the soul shattered into a million gold flakes, disappearing with a _poof._

Sora would've yelled if he could've. He'd be fighting for control, crying over the death of an innocent, attempting to avenge the sacrifice. But there was only one thing he could do. Absolutely nothing. He could just picture his shaking hands.

To his amazement, his hands were actually shaking. Now that they were in his field of vision, he could tell that his skin was wispy and pitch black which could only mean one thing. His darkness had taken control of his body. It would explain why he could no longer control his actions.

 _You_. Sora could feel a cold, angry, suspicious, presence glaring at him. He had been found out. A tidal wave of negative emotions enveloped him, draining Sora of the small foothold he had managed to create for himself.

 _Go back to sleep where you belong you mangy dog._

Against his will, against his morals, Sora wished he could put up more of a fight. However, he was forced to obey, the power struggle clearly one sided. So, on command, he returned to the energy sapping slumber, afraid who Anti-Sora would harm next.

* * *

Guilmon collapsed, breathing heavily as he panted against the grass. A few blades managed to wiggle their way into his snout, causing him to sneeze. His look alike looked around wildly, the noise having startled her. "I'm soo tired," he moaned pitifully.

Takato looked at his partner morosely. _I shouldn't be pushing him this hard._ He clenched his fists, angry at the events that had been occurring since their return. _Crazy shadows, wild Digimon, a human able to single handedly take out a Digimon, when did things become so unpredictable?_

"Don't worry boy," he heard himself say. "Once we meet up with the others, everything will be okay." Ryo had called him and told him Suzie was at the playground, so he and Henry had turned around to go and reunite with her. However, the shadowlike creatures had suddenly become active. They had tried to fight them, but were still unable to physically touch them in any of their attacks. It was a fight they could never possibly win. So, they'd been forced to continue running forward, unable to turn back the way they came. The creatures were herding them around the perimeter of the whole city, pursuing them relentlessly.

"We need to keep moving," Henry interjected. "We're starting to get close to the playground. Right now, I really need to be there and protect Suzie."

"I don't know if we can Henry. The Guilmons are tired, just look at them," Takato attempted to persuade, gesturing towards them with his hands. The two Digimon were splayed on their backs, tongues lolling out of their mouths as they closed their eyes. He himself was reluctant to get moving as well. His legs still burned from their seemly endless bikeathon.

"She's in danger and I need to be there for her. She can't care for herself Takato!" Henry snapped at him. His friend looked ready to tear something in half, although, his glare seemed powerful enough to do the job on its own. The boy continued to huff angrily, his glare intensifying.

"Suzie has Ryo and probably Kenta looking after her. You can't be everywhere at once Henry. She'll be just fine," Takato attempted to console, trying to stay calm. It was rare when he saw Henry angry like this, but when he was, the world would have to brace for the volcano that would soon erupt. At the moment, Takato was feeling quite flustered.

"That's not enough," he exclaimed heatedly. "She'll always be in danger because of me! I mean, they got into my house last time!" Henry paused, taking a shaky breath. " She's not supposed to be in danger all the time. Suzie should've grown up to be a normal girl. Instead, she's here trying to fight an enemy we can't even hit." The defeat in his voice caused Takato's stomach to tighten into an uncomfortable knot.

He didn't really have much to say in order to comfort his friend. "I'm sorry Henry," he said softly.

Terriermon jumped off of Henry's head, landing onto the handlebars of his bike. "I know you guys are kinda having a moment, but I think that can wait until we're out of shadow territory!" the Digimon exclaimed, pointing at the street behind them. A patrol of shriveled antenna shadows glided in, rising from their puddle forms into solid humanoid beings.

"Time to run!" Takato screamed, hopping on his bike and once again began peddling down the street. Henry followed suit, not far behind. Terriermon was still perched upon Henry's bike handles and the two Guilmons had once again starting running after them.

It was a good thing they had hustled. The previous spot they'd been resting at was quickly engulfed with black inky substance. Their enemies were not far behind them. However, even if they reached their friends, there would be no safe place from this horde of enemies.

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **No new characters**

 **Kingdom Hearts**

 **No new characters**


	18. Darkness Riven (Again)

**I have not forsaken you my readers! Life has certainly be challenging though. Yup….5 months since my last update. But here I am at last with new content. I'll always be working on something, even if it doesn't seem like it. I hope the wait was worth it, because this chapter is jam-packed with feels! So grab some popcorn and let's get this show on the road!**

* * *

It had been a shame that his camping trip had been canceled. But he was arguably the most powerful ally his friends needed, being the only bonafide Mega that could actually deal any damage without the Sovereign's help.

He had just wished that he could've taken Ryo's call without the twins figuring out where he was going.

Ai and Mako's parents had gladly given him a cellphone of his own if it meant keeping their children away from combat in any sort. They were still unsure of him hanging around their perfect little children, but they were at least attempting to trust him. The cellphone was invaluable to him, allowing him to swoop in and save the day when necessary. Although, it would be quite annoying sometimes, but even being a hero had its ups and downs.

When Ryo had called him, he had told Impmon the location of everyone of his comrades. That it, except the one person that Impmon valued the most, aside from his own Tamers of course.

He had forgotten about Jeri.

It really tore Impmon up inside, the way his friends had tossed Jeri to the curb as though she were some sort of piece of garbage. She was slowly being pushed out of their circle of friends, all because she didn't have a Digimon.

And boy was he pissed off.

Impmon had more than personal experience with being forgotten. Being an insignificant creature in the world, it had been his whole life. He'd rather have a hundred more fights with Gallantmon if it meant nobody would ever feel how he felt back then.

So, instead of coming to the aid of his Tamer friends, he had decided to put Jeri first. Impmon told Ryo he would be there first, but only after he was done with his own side project. Saving Jeri.

She had forgiven him, even after all the horrific events he put her through. She had given him a second chance, even though he didn't deserve one.

It had only been the twin's first camping trip, so their parents didn't take them too far from the city just in case an emergency happened. After Digivolving to Beelzemon, it had only taken him about two hours to get back to Jeri's house.

However when her house was in sight, he only increased his speed. It was absolutely surrounded by the black Digimon he'd been having trouble with.

"Jeri!" he hollered, urgency in his voice. "Where are ya?" As though to answer his question, a terrified shriek cut through the air, thanks to Jeri's open window. "I'mma coming!"

Folding his wings against his back, he began to pick up speed, torpedoing into Jeri's bedroom. "Jeri." He landed soundlessly on her carpet, raising his gun arm at the ready.

The girl he had planned to rescue was standing on top of her bed. It wasn't the numerous dancing monsters surrounding her that made Beelzemon nervous however. It was the dead look in her eyes as she stared emptily at her incoming doom. Emotion seemed to return to them as she looked at him.

"You shouldn't be here!" she exclaimed in a panicked voice. As though reacting to her dismay, the shadowy Digimon turned their back towards her, instead focusing their incoming attacks on him. Two lunged, their claws poised for his face.

Beelzemon took a step back before spreading his wings open. His feathers brushed the wallpaper and windowsill, only reminding him that there wasn't that much room to maneuver. _This'll be tricky._

With a flap, he was aloft in the air. The two creatures who had lunged after him were treated to a nice jump out of the window as Beelzemon pressed himself against Jeri's ceiling. His four remaining enemies fidgeted wildly as they creeped towards him at a slower pace than their previous comrades.

With swiftness that even surprised himself, Beelzemon somehow managed to grab Jeri, hug her against his chest, and fly outside of her window before his adversaries could box him in. They hovered high above Jeri's house, safe for the moment. "What were you doing?!" He scanned the skies, judging whether he should retreat or not. They seemed safe for the moment

"It doesn't matter what I was doing," Jeri mumbled defiantly.

"Those things could've killed you!" He trembled in rage at the thought of those monsters. They sickened him.

"It doesn't matter what they could've done." she replied somberly, sounding much like a broken record on loop.

"It does matter when they could hurt you. You think I want to watch you get hurt?" This was the most emotion he'd seen out of Jeri in a while. It worried him. The image of himself threatening a hotdog vendor with a fireball so he could eat, flashed through his mind. Back when he thought he would have to rely on himself for the rest of his life.

"Nobody would miss me."

Beelzemon froze, his wing beats slowing. "That's not true!" he exclaimed heatedly. He turned his three eyed gaze from the skies to her face, attempting to convey his feelings toward her. "I would," he muttered affectionately, his hidden sorrow creeping into his voice.

This did little to break through Jeri's dark cloud however. The depressed shell of a girl continued to stare at the endless skies, intentionally avoiding his face. She said nothing, a sign she no longer wished to continue the conversation.

So they flew in silence. Beelzemon continued to survey his surroundings for any enemies, but they seemed to have vanished completely. The lack of a threat made him anxious, an emotion he couldn't afford to show to his comrades. A storm seemed to be brewing, one he didn't look forward to , he would brave it for everyone that was counting on them. Especially for Jeri, the girl who saved his life.

 _Not much farther now._ The playground was in sight, the green tops of the trees that surrounded the structure were just visible over the nearby buildings. He began his descent, angling his trajectory in the middle of the playground.

He had dropped a few hundred feet before a stabbing pain had found its way to his left wing. "Aughh!" he howled in agony as the pain rushed from his wing tip to his back.

Despite the frantic flapping of his right wing, his body continued to plummet dangerously quickly towards the incoming ground. Jeri tightly hugged his torso, burying her face into it as well.

It was hard to focus with the pain that continued to emanate from his wing. Another primal scream left his lips, his eyes clenched shut. His mind was racing, the adrenaline circling swiftly through his body as he attempted to go into survival mode. However, there was no fight, and there was certainly no flight.

 _Time for a bumpy landing._

* * *

There wasn't much time, he was sure of that. Takato and Henry should've arrived at the playground at least twenty minutes ago, and the fact that they hadn't worried him. Ryo had tried to reach them with his cellphone, but kept being forwarded to Henry's voicemail, which currently has seventeen messages stored for him when he picked up his phone next. At least, Ryo hoped Henry would be able to pick up his phone.

Rika was currently having an intense chat with Kazu and Kenta as she filled them in in the details of the plan he had created. It wasn't much really, but even an idea of something was better than nothing itself.

The gist of his idea was that they all needed to head over to Guilmon's hut. That's where the bulk of these monstrosities seemed to be appearing. There were far too many of them to get rid of at once. It was all an assumption, but Ryo hoped the portal to the Digital World was still at Guilmon's hut. If they could close it, they would be able to stop more creatures from coming, and deal with what had come through.

He had been fiddling with his cards as he prepared them when he heard the screaming. _Someone's in trouble._ The Tamer crammed the cards he had organized into a certain pattern that would be helpful before sprinting over to his friends. "Cyberdramon let's go!"

His Digimon in turn gave a powerful howl before flying into the air.

Ryo scanned the ground anxiously looking for the source of the cry, but he could find nothing. _Did I imagine it?_ This doubt was quickly extinguished as he saw his friends scattering on the ground. They had to have heard something.

A black streak plummeted from the sky, more distressed screams resounding through the area. It dived straight into the ground.

Cyberdramon needed no command as he flew towards the crash site. As they drew closer, a ravaged Beelzemon rose shakily from the smoking wreckage. "Yah gonna have to try harder than that to take me down!" he challenged. The Mega wasn't willing to back down but the pain was clearly evident in his voice.

Ryo scanned the surrounding area but he found no sign of any enemies. However, that didn't lessen the feeling of dread that creeped up his spine.

Another cry of agony echoed from Beelzemon's lips. Ryo looked down back at the Mega just in time to see his form destabilize into gold pockets of data flakes. A silver weapon with a golden hilt, the one that looked exactly like the one Sora had used weeks ago, clattered to the ground.

"Beelzemon!" Ryo screamed.

A dark cloud of energy materialized onto the ground near where Ryo and Cyberdramon had just landed. A pitch black Sora appeared, standing mere intimidating yards away from them.

 _Looks like the geezers decided to save me some time._

Ryo could hear a dark sinister voice claw through his mind. "You must be Sora then?"

 _The one and only. I've heard a lot about you through that little runt of yours._ An image of Hopmon flashed through his mind.

 _Rika had warned me Sora was possessed. I didn't think it'd be this bad._

An irrational laugh rang through his head. _Don't worry, I won't stick around for long Hero. Once I'm out of this body and back to my full strength, you'll wish I would stay this weak._

"You can read my mind, why am I not surprised?"

The dark humanoid tilted his head to look behind Ryo. Taking a step forward, he crouched down and in a flash of light, the weapon he had used to impale Beelzemon appeared in his hands. "Stall for as much backup as you like. It won't save you."

A flurry of blue fireballs and missiles sailed into Sora's vicinity. However much like the creatures they faced, the boy simply flattened himself to the ground and traveled out of harm's way.

"The cavalry have arrived." Kazu announced as him and Rika closed in, Kyubimon and Guardromon on their heels.

"Kenta's staying with Suzie and the other Digimon." Rika informed.

Ryo nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I feel better knowing she's safe. She's had enough chaos for one day." He gave Cyberdramon a pat on the head. "Let's make this quick. There'll be plenty of pancakes for you at home afterwards."

The Ultimate Digimon gave a savage growl. It may intimidate his comrades, but he knew Cyberdramon was a sucker for his dad's cooking.

"Desolation Claw!" he rasped as his purple claw streaks of energy raced to meet Sora.

"Guardian Barrage!" Guardromon added, firing his barrage of missiles.

Sora didn't move a muscle as the attacks flew closer to him. In fact, just before they made impact a large honeycomb dome materialized in front of him.

 _Gotta admit, having control of tier three magic spells is a nice bonus to this body._

"Digi-Modify!" Rika pulled out a card and slid it in her Digivice. "Speed Activate!"

A yellow glow enveloped Kyubimon. In a flash that was too fast for human eyes to human eyes to follow, Sora was suddenly pinned by the Champion Digimon.

 _Feisty little beast huh?_

"I would not be so smug demon!" Kyubimon snarled. She bared her teeth angrily. Her adversary seemed unfazed however.

Sora's body was swallowed into the ground as he proceeded to melt into his shadow-like form. He drifted a fair amount of distance before he re-emerged. Behind him a dark purple portal poofed into existence.

 _About time you showed up. This little get together was really starting to get dull._

Two figures in black trenchcoats with hoods, similar to the one Sora had worn, stepped out. The raised hoods concealed their faces, but they were both similar in proportions.

"Who are you clowns supposed to be?!" Rika snarled in a tone much like her Digimon.

"Hmph," A deep voice answered. "You remind me of a boy I once knew. Perhaps you too would be a suitable host for darkness."

"This world's population was quite plentiful, perfect for our intentions," his comrade informed in a silkier voice. He held out his hand, a large red spinning heart floating in his palm.

"What did you do to the people who live here?!" Ryo cried, outraged. A thought occurred to him. _Dad...Did they attack him too?_ His father may be rough around the edges, but Ryo knew his dad would be there for him. This time however, was it too late for him to save his own flesh and blood? Rika and Kazu seemed to be having similar thoughts from the looks of it.

A barrage of missiles flew towards the figures. "You shall release those hostages at once!" Guardromon declared, his hands still outstretched from having fired his weapons.

"The people of this pitiful world got nothing less than they deserved. Every one of them was going to fade into darkness one day in the future. We simply made that day today." The deeper figure seemed unfazed by the attack. He held his hand out, the rockets having frozen in place.

"Uh oh," Guardromon gulped.

With a wave of the hand, the Digimon's attack was redirected at Ryo, Rika, and Kazu. "Awww man," Kazu whimpered. The bold look the Tamer usually wore had long since melted, replaced by fear.

Ryo dived to the ground as he tried to get out of the way of the incoming doom. Rika and Kazu were not so fast however. A plume of smoke exploded into the air as the missiles met their targets. "Rika! Kazu!" Ryo howled in despair.

As the smoke cleared however, the thumping Ryo could feel in his chest began to slow down a bit. Kyubimon, still benefitting from her speed buff had stood in front of the two Tamers, splaying out her ninetails as a makeshift shield to protect the humans from the blast.

"You know, you need to worry a lot less," Rika grinned derisively.

The two cloaked figures began to advance towards the Tamers, slowly walking in sync side by side. The cloaked figure that held onto the spinning heart raised the hand that held it, their right hand. The cloaked figure that wasn't holding it raised their left hand to touch the heart.

A flash of white light blinded everybody. Ryo was forced to clench his eyes shut due to the intensity.

Maniacal cackling filled the air, ringing in Ryo's ears. However, it was a different pitch, not quite either of the two figures. "And so I rise again." came a rich elderly voice.

The light seemed to be fading a bit, allowing Ryo to crack his eyes open. Where there once stood the two cloaked figures there now only stood one. In their place was a wizened man with dark tan skin and a terrible hunched over back. His hood had flown off to reveal a balding head with wicked looking pointy ears. Two glowing amber eyes and a pointed goatee dominated his face.

"Mr. Manse!?" Kazu exclaimed. "Of course _you're_ the evil mastermind."

"Foolish boy," the old man scoffed. "That alias is no longer of any use to me." A sinister grin lit up his face, his eyes twinkling maniacally as though this were all a hilarious joke. "You are to call me Xehanort."

"That's not a name you hear everyday." Ryo commented suspiciously.

 _Playtime's over old man. Get me out of this pitiful body._ The dark body of Sora rose from the ground nearby Xehanort almost casually.

"Very well boy. You have served me well. I'll need you to shed that useless lump of a vessel if you're to prove further usefulness in the future anyways."

Xehanort raised his right hand towards the sky. A black weapon similar to that of Sora's appeared. The guard of the weapon was designed to look like intricate batlike wings, the hilt sporting a demonic head. The blade was two parallel black strips of metal intersecting into a flared flamelike edge. At the point of the blade was a grey green eye that seemed to glare. The sight of such a weapon made Ryo's mouth dry and his skin clammy.

Not a mere second after he had spoken, Xehanort thrust the weapon deep into Sora's chest. An inhuman wail left the boy's lips as he fell to his knees due to the impact. There was no blood, only shadowy wisps that trailed from the impact.

A ball of light exited launched into the air, shining brightly as it hovered over the fallen body of the boy. The shadowy wisps that had appeared from the impact of the weapon Xehanort had used began to flow swiftly into the ball, the ball turning purple and greedily absorbing and growing in size. Arms began to form, as well as legs and spiky hair.

The purple energy dispersed to reveal a boy that looked exactly like Sora. However he had spiky black hair and cruel amber eyes. He sported a red and black organic looking bodysuit of some sort. "About time old man," he remarked almost casually as though he didn't just suddenly appear out of thin air.

Sora let out a small broken whimper before the light left his blue eyes as they glossed over. His skin tone was no longer pitch black, Ryo saw that Sora had been wearing a shredded nightgown before he was possessed.

"Now is not the time Vanitas." Xehanort waved off. "If we are to achieve what we desire we must gather more hearts. You know what that requires of you."

The demonic boy interlaced his fingers before stretching his arms out in front of him. "No more pesky Keyblade punks to get in the way now." He looked at the fallen body of Sora, a smile spreading to his face. "Not anymore anyways."

A primal scream howled through the air. "You murderer!" Kyubimon screeched in outrage. Reason was no longer present within the grief stricken Champion Digimon. Raw reverence fueled her body as she charged towards Xehanort. Ryo heard wingbeats and realized Cyberdramon was not far behind her as he shot over his head like a bullet.

"Oh please," Vanitas scoffed as he rolled his eyes. Holding an arm outward, a black haze began to spew from him fingertips. As it spread towards the ground in front of him, numerous pairs of glowing yellow eyes blinked into existence under the cover of the dark blanket.

"Dragon Wheel!" Kyubimon exclaimed, transforming into an azure blue fireball. She barreled through the fog unharmed, still on a trajectory towards the evil substitute teacher. However, before she could make contact a creature resembling a purple knight stood in her path. It raised a large shield decorated with the black head of a dog with three eyes.

The dog on the shield opened its jaws and clamped down on the blue fireball, stopping the attack cold in its tracks. Kyubimon now had her tails in its mouth.

Cyberdramon raised his claws, poised for attack. "Desolation Claw!" Glowing a vibrant pink color, he slashed at the knight that held Kyubimon captive. With a poof, the enemy had disappeared.

"Are you okay Kyubimon?" Rika hollered. Her partner gave a curt nod before flexing her tails reflexively.

"Just a bruise."

In response Guardromon slowly stomped forward, until he was protectively in front of Rika and Kazu. "Do not worry!" he proclaimed. "I shall protect them with my life!" The Champion banged his fist against his chest in a dedicated manner.

Cyberdramon landed behind Kyubimon and took a battle stance, the two of them back to back and surrounded by more of the shield creatures.

* * *

 _Wham!_ Four more hearts slowly rose into the sky. However, Goofy didn't know how much longer he'd be able to stand against the increasing tide of Heartless. Once Donald's warding spell had worn off, the remorseless creatures instantly seized the opportunity to invade the world once more.

The flimsy tin garbage can lid he had been using as a substitute shield was now warped and deformed. No longer having a purpose, he chucked the retired weapon to the dusty concrete before giving a mute sneeze.

He was currently inside the concrete bunker him and Donald had sheltered in, where they had been holding the Heartless back thanks to Donald's sacrifice. Magic may have been able to hold the Keyhole in a stasis, but it was only a Keyblade that could truly seal it. Without it, the Heartless would continue to pour in at an alarming rate.

Donald was in no shape to do anything, and he was himself was doing everything he could to slow down the horde. It's what Sora and the King would've done.

He was all alone, but he would do everything to contain the Heartless. No matter what the cost, the world order was at stake. As a knight, it was his sworn duty to protect innocent lives. Whether King, Beast, Princess, he would be there to turn the tide of battle.

Despite his fatigue, he forced himself to stand. His legs complied, but not without complaint.

"Don't worry Goofy, the cavalry is here." an unfamiliar voice announced.

He looked up just in time to see a blue laser strike the Keyhole, an audible locking sound resounding as the World was now locked and safe from the Heartless. A hand was parked in front of his face, offering to ease his burden.

"That should stop more from coming. I think it's time you and me did some clean up crew."

Goofy thrust his paw forward into his ally's hand, a heavy weight lifting from his shoulders. The tide had turned. All thanks to the simple act of his savior. Goofy had only seen him only once in a picture, but he knew who he was. It was Roxas.

* * *

"You guys are so boring," Vanitas droned, looking quite disinterested as Kyubimon and Cyberdramon barely managed to finish off the next wave of enemies.

"Yo Guardromon, why don't you go join in on the action? Me and Rika will be fine!" Kazu encouraged. His Digimon began to comply but stopped in his tracks. "Dude what's going on?"

"Guardian Barrage!" the large Champion exclaimed, ignoring his Tamer's question. However, instead of aiming at Vanitas, his missiles were set to have a collision course with the merry-go-round at the play structure. "Reinforcements!" he cried jubilantly.

The black shadows that had been tailing Growlmon and Gargomon shied back to avoid being hit. The two Champions bounded forward, falling in line with Guardromon.

"About time you guys got here, we were getting worried," Rika sighed in relief, her hand on her chest.

"Better late than never," a tired Takato replied, the fatigue evident in his voice. Him, Henry and the other Guilmon dismounted from Growlmon's back as the two new Champions rushed forward to join Kyubimon and Cyberdramon. The Rookie in the meantime cowered behind Takato, frightened by the energy surges it sensed.

"Feels like it's been forever since we've had a good fight," Gargomon laughed darkly.

"Stay focused, these opponents are no laughing matter," Kyubimon scolded.

"Don't have to tell us," Growlmon moaned. "We've been running from them all day."

"Been nothing but cheap tricks with these guys," Gargomon added.

Vanitas began to smirk once again. "That really all you guys have? Man you're even more pathetic than that loser, Ventus." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps its time I showed you what true suffering feels like."

"Try us!" Henry snarled uncharacteristically.

"Henry no!" Ryo yelled. "We can't take him! He's too strong, we need to get out of here!"

"Sorry Ryo but we won't know til we try! Gotta be a hero and can't do that sitting around," Kazu disagreed, siding with Henry over his idol for once. "Let's go Guardromon!" The gargantuan robot began to lumber forward as he trudged toward his allies.

"Suffer!" Vanitas declared. Outstretching his hands, dozens of purple fireballs began to rain down from the sky, peppering the Digimon as they attempted to protect themselves.

Not a Digimon was left unscathed. All had been knocked down by the power of the attack, leaving them defenseless as they attempted to scramble to their feet. Their dark opponent wasted no time, dashing forward with an alarming amount of speed. He slashed towards Growlmon, the Digimon barely able to whip his tail in time and send Vanitas flying.

Vanitas was unfazed however, using his falling speed to build momentum for his next attack. Growlmon had sent him flying in the direction of Cyberdramon, his next target. The Ultimate Digimon was on his feet, meeting the oncoming blade with his claws and causing sparks to fly.

"We can't just stand here, we have to do something!" Takato asserted. He reached for his cards before selecting one and sliding it into his Digivice. "Digi-Modify! Stamina activate!" A yellow energy began to emanate from Growlmon, the champion suddenly gaining the energy to stand.

"I'm with you Takato!" he howled with his renewed energy.

Following his example, Henry, Ryo, Rika, and Kazu all swiped a Digimon Stamina card. The damage might not have been healed, but the Digimon looked ready for round two.

Cyberdramon gave a rage filled howl, his grief fueling his determination to wipe Vanitas out. Without warning, he lunged towards the dark boy.

Vanitas rolled his eyes with a smirk before holding his weapon out and bracing his other hand against the blade. The Ultimate dragon crashed into it head on, only to be swept to the side when Vanitas swiped at him diagonally across his body.

"Man you are s-" Vanitas faltered holding a hand to shield his eyes, as though being blinded. He lowered his hands once he thought he had adapted, only to shriek in pain and raise up both his hands to cover his face.

"What's happening?!" Henry asked. Nobody knew the answer.

An orange winged figure flew overhead, swift and sleek. As it drew closer, Kazu heard a bellowing roar only increasing in volume. Without pause, it continued to head towards Vanitas, the pitiful boy's attempt to hide away only getting more and more frantic.

"Guess we'll just have to do this another time," he sputtered through gritted teeth. Clenching his eyes, he waved one of his hands and escaped through a purple portal of some sort before it disappeared behind him.

"Uhhhh what just happened?" Kazu asked, his jaw open so wide he swore it was touching the ground.

"We'll find out in a minute," Rika snarled. "It could be another one of those creatures."

"Stay on the defensive!" Kyubimon ordered. In response, her comrades formed a defensive line between their Tamers and the oncoming threat. Ryo tried to get Cyberdramon to sit out, but the Ultimate refused to comply. The strike Vanitas had inflicted upon him had left a frightening gold scar that ran down his body, his data threatening to leave at the slightest of movements. He would not back down for the fight, but Ryo seemed a bit more at ease as the Digimon used his shoulders to support himself.

The baby Guilmon was currently rushing towards Sora's fallen body now that the threat had passed. It nosed his face curiously, drinking in his scent, occasionally gingerly poking at him with its claws. Kazu looked to Takato to contain the Digimon but the goggle-headed boy had rushed over and picked up the unconscious body of Jeri.

"Jeri?" he asked worriedly. "Jeri are you okay? Can you wake up?"

As the figure grew closer, Kazu couldn't help but try to make his jaw drop even farther. "Whaaaaat?" The other Tamers could only echo his disbelief.

The incoming creature was about as big as Kyubimon. Two large orange feathered wings flapped rapidly as it flew above them before landing promptly. It looked a lot like a lion, a handsome golden mane cascading over its orange muzzle. It wore an armored helmet, shackles on its legs, and large red and white protective disks over it's thighs. The winged lion's disks and armor continually emitted a flame which must've been muted so it didn't singe it's passengers who were mounted on its back.

Surprisingly enough, the familiar white and brown shapes of Calumon and Lopmon were swimming in the lion's mane. But the real surprise was the human who was riding the lion. She looked like she was about their age. She had flowing red hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a pink and white dress with a black belt and violet shoes.

"Sora!" she exclaimed in a worried high pitched voice. The girl clambered off the lion as quickly as she could, racing towards the fallen boy. Guilmon swiftly retreated once the girl got close enough, the scared Digimon meekly hugging Growlmon's leg for comfort.

She cradled his broken body, the stab wound still evident due to his torn nightshirt and the black hole in his chest. "Sora!" she exclaimed again, her voice wavering. "You need to wake up! Come on!" The desperation was clear.

Both Tamers and Digimon could only look on in sorrow as she continued to shake his limp body before collapsing on top of it, tears trickling down her face. She wailed wretchedly, causing Kazu to flinch. The orange winged lion she had flown in on tread softly towards the girl, gently pushing it's forehead against her heaving back.

"I'm so sorry Kairi," a deep male voice lamented. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

"You did your best Firamon," Kairi croaked, her voice thick with raw emotion. Her lips moved, but Kazu couldn't hear what she muttered.

Henry boldly stepped forward, kneeling besides the weeping girl. "You saved Lopmon and Calumon, I have no words to tell you how grateful I am." Henry trailed off, clearly unsure of how to comfort her.

"Is she a Tamer?" Kazu whispered to Ryo. The Digimon King gave wordless nod, currently hugging Cyberdramon. Despite being stoic and silent, he was in pain. The Ultimate Digimon made no sounds whatsoever, but even Kazu could sense the grief the Digimon must be feeling.

* * *

 **Digimon**

 **Firamon**

 **Kingdom Hearts**

 **Vanitas**

 **Xehanort**

 **I hope you enjoyed. I'm hoping to slowly come back into the game with routine updates. I also have another project I'm working one, so you'll have something to look forward too. Read, Relax, and Enjoy, for I have risen from the dead for the 4th or so time!**


	19. Time after Time

"You sure you're alright to keep going?" he asked in concern. Goofy gave a solemn nod, his fatigue clear but his determination not wavering.

"Good, I'm going to need all the help I can get. Most of the Heartless should be gone, but there's always a few running around."

He closed his eyes and held out his hand envisioning Oblivion. However to his surprise Kingdom Key appeared in its stead. "What?" In a flash of light Roxas dismissed the blade and attempted to summon Oblivion, only to meet the same results. "Perfect time to have a defective weapon again. It'll just have to do."

They'd cleared out the area already, nothing too tough, just a few Shadows with a Darkball thrown into the mix here or there. But poor Goofy had already expended a large amount of energy defending the Keyhole and not allowing any Heartless to pass him; without a real weapon no less.

 _Sora certainly has the best of friends_. Being able to project his own personal thoughts in his head was something he had certainly taken for granted. He missed being his own separate entity.

Life just wasn't worth living without the sweet salty taste that was Sea-Salt Icecream. He supposed there was room for Axel too. He also wouldn't want to live without Namine in his life, the person who had defended his right to exist. Hayner, Pence, and Olette would also need his help if they were to survive through the copious amounts of homework that came with high school.

He hardened his gaze and tightened his grip on his Keyblade. _No._ There would be a time to be sentimental but this was not the time nor the place. Time was of the essence. He needed to remove the Heartless from this world before they inflicted more harm than it could handle.

He gazed at the sky calculating his next move. The dark cloud that had been hiding the sun was slowly dissipating since he had sealed the Keyhole.

From previous experience, back when he had been Heartless hunting for the Organization, the Heartless summoned negativity a lot like magnets. If a large horde of Heartless suddenly appeared in a world, the negativity already existing in the world would be drawn to the Heartless, strengthening them. For example when on mission in Agrabah, he had noticed the weather to be much hotter and arid. The sun seemed much harsher and the sand grains that found their way in his shoes cut his feet more. As he progressed with his work of slaying them, the climate seemed to revert back to normal. Since Heartless were drawn to the darkness in people's hearts, and the worlds' negativity drawn to the Heartless, one wrong person on a world and it could possibly summon a tornado or hurricane.

Based on the cloud, he had certainly made good progress on clearing this world of the Heartless. Only a few puffs of black cloud remained, the sun was now visible for the first time in days.

"On second thought I think we can take a break. The coast seems clear for now." Without hesitation Goofy slumped to the ground and closed his eyes. Roxas knelt down and sat crossed legged next to him. "There's no need to push yourself anymore. It's safe for now."

Goofy gave no reply. It wasn't until soft snores resounded through the air that Roxas could feel himself relaxing. True he could relax for the moment, but there was still a threat to deal with. Heartless may be less intelligent than Nobodies, but not even one could be left unchecked. Goofy had done his part, now was the time for him to do his.

He slowly stood up, brandishing his Kingdom Key with a flourish. There wasn't much more to do, but it was his duty to protect the people of this world. At least….it had been Sora's duty. What in the worlds had happened to him? How was he here in physical form?

"Who are you?!" snarled a demanding voice. A yellow humanoid fox limped into view, leaning forward heavily to avoid collapsing. Clearly her energy was spent. Her blue eyes burned into his, they would intimidate any lesser being, but not him. "Why do you smell of him!? Why do you smell of Sora?"

Despite her voice being thick with emotion, a vague memory played in Roxas' head. A small yellow fluffball standing it's ground against a large eight headed snake. "Vixiemon?" he asked hesitantly. The memories of the Digital World he shared with Sora were hazy at best.

"What's it to you?" another voice challenged. A fiery red haired girl with her hair in a short ponytail appeared next to Vixiemon, her eyes equally aggressive. However she was not alone. Following her were a dozen or so other humans and various monsters. A boy wearing goggles, who looked a little younger than Sora, carried an unconscious girl. And to Roxas's surprise, a large orange lion with wings came into view, sitting atop its back a familiar red head.

"Kairi?!" he sputtered, forgetting about the other people who surrounded her.

"Roxas?" Kairi asked just as incredulously, eyes wide. She shifted a large black object off of her lap and hopped onto the ground, running straight towards him. "How are you here?"

"You know this guy?" a blue haired boy asked. A white rabbit with green stripes on its ears sat upon his head, looking back and forth between Roxas and Kairi.

Roxas dismissed Kingdom Key before flashing a relieved smile. "It's nice to see a familiar face," he breathed.

"Who is he supposed to be?" the rabbit asked. "He looks a bit too scrawny to be anyone important."

"Terriermon, now is not the time," the blue haired boy muttered in warning, eyeing Roxas carefully.

"He's a friend," Kairi reassured, resting her shaking hands on his shoulders in disbelief. The menagerie of humans and creatures seemed to accept her word, shifting into less defensive postures. "He's a friend," she repeated softly.

"I appreciate seeing you again Kairi, but I can't afford to catch up right now. I have a job to do, and I need to do it _now_."

"Heartless?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Yeah. I've gotten rid of most of them, but I need eliminate the rest. Otherwise it'll lead to more problems."

"Then I'm coming too. I can help as well." Kairi raised her hand and summoned Destiny's Embrace, a Keyblade Roxas hadn't seen since Sora and friends had stormed the World that Never Was in order to stop Xemnas. "The Heartless have been on me ever since I got here. Firamon has helped me fight them off."

"Woah woah woah! What the hell is going on! What's a Heartless, what are those key things, and where can I get one!?" a fairly obnoxious voice insisted on butting in.

Roxas' eyes fell upon a boy a bit younger than himself, wearing a black T-shirt and a green visor on his head. "Shut up!" he barked dismissively. The crowd before him continued to stare at him in shock, but quieted down. "I don't care that you don't understand any of this. I've got a job to do, and I don't need any of you getting in the way. There's nothing you can do for the moment. Just go home and get safe." He paused before gazing at them, his eyes softening a little.

He realized he was being a little tough on these kids. Their world was falling apart and they were scared silly. He himself had been in that situation when Axel had been assigned to go to Castle Oblivion. "It's what Sora would've wanted. He wouldn't want any of you to get hurt." Roxas turned his attention back to Kairi. "I need you to stay here and protect the Keyhole." He gestured towards the stone hut that was falling apart. The iron gate that entered into it was now dented in an irreparable fashion. "When the last of the clouds in the sky are gone, you need to seal it. That will stop any more Heartless from entering."

Kairi nodded, determination in her eyes. Her body still trembled, but she had a resolve now. "Firamon, I want you to help Roxas. He can help people faster if you can fly him around the city. Could you do that for me please?"

Surprisingly, the large lionlike being shook his head. "I will not leave your side Kairi. You must be protected." He turned his head before dipping his head in Roxas' direction. " I must protect her." he apologized.

"I'm capable of defending myself Firamon," Kairi huffed. "You'd be doing me a big favor."

"I will not go," the Digimon growled solemnly. His fiery tail lashed agitatedly, the flame on the tip waving wildly. He turned his head away from Kairi, as though the matter was currently not up for debate.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine on my own." Roxas encouraged. "Defeating the Heartless was my whole life. I've been alone before and I can do it again."

"I'll take you," spoke a pensive voice. An athletic looking boy with bright blue eyes stepped forward, a large purple dragon hunched by his side. "Cyberdramon can take you where you need to go."

The feral looking creature stepped forward without so much a noise. It awkwardly hunched over before allowing the boy to clamber onto its back. Roxas rolled his eyes and gave a defeated sigh before walking over.

"You are not Sora," it snarled, showing off its rather impressive set of fangs. "You can never be him!"

Roxas couldn't help but give a dark chuckle, causing the dragon's rider to give him a questionable look. "You wouldn't believe how refreshing it is to hear that."

"Most people are usually pretty scared of Cyberdramon. I guess I'm just surprised you're taking this rather well." He offered his hand to Roxas.

Rather than accept, he clambered onto the Digimon's back himself, swinging his leg onto the other side. Without hesitation, Cyberdramon lunged into the sky, rising higher and higher with every flap of his wings.

"So who are you exactly?" his pilot asked, not bothering to turn his head as he scanned the ground below.

"Let's not go into the specifics," Roxas warned, evading his question. "I'm an ally and lets leave it at that."

"The last ally we had is now dead." Roxas could tell the boy was trying to ignore the emotions he had bottled up. "Maybe you should tell us a bit about yourself or you could suffer the same fate."

"That a threat?" Roxas asked, narrowing his eyes at the back of the boy's head.

"I'd rather not lose any more lives today." the boy turned his head finally, allowing Roxas to see the assertiveness in his blue eyes. "I don't know if you truly are an ally, but Kairi seemed to trust you. She helped us, so you might not be all bad. It's been a rough day all around, let's just finish this errand and perhaps you can explain everything then."

"Straight to the point huh?" Roxas asked, amused. "I won't lie, that's my style. You got yourself a deal kid."

"Kid? I'm not much younger than you." Despite the outcry, a grin had plastered itself onto his face. "The name's Ryo."

"Roxas."

"So where to Roxas?"

He scanned the ground below, looking for any signs of the Heartless. "I'll tell you when to land. For now, just circle the city."

"Sure thing," Ryo nodded. "You heard him Cyberdramon. Just don't push yourself too much. You haven't had time to fully heal." Cyberdramon growled in response.

* * *

Henry could feel his thoughts race wildly through his head. _What did those people do to us? They killed a boy. Who was this Kairi girl? There's another Tamer?_ He balled his hands into fists in an attempt to keep his cool demeanor.

"I need to take her home," Takato solemnly volunteered, breaking his whirlwind of thoughts. Henry glanced over, watching his friend cradle Jeri's body gingerly. The girl seemed so pale and lifeless, if he hadn't checked for her pulse earlier he'd had assume she was dead.

 _Like Sora...and Beelzemon._

That's right. It was bad enough that a boy he barely knew died, but a close friend was now gone too. Him and Impmon had certainly had a rocky start, but they had eventually become a part of each other's lives. Not nearly as much of a connection like Ai and Mako, or Renamon, but Henry would have trusted him with his life. He'd even trust him with Suzie's life, an even bigger leap.

"I'll go with you," Rika suggested. "She's going to need support." She looked to Renamon sympathetically. "We all could use some."

A tired Guilmon limped towards his Tamer, his fatigue abundantly distinct. "Are you okay Takato?"

"I'll be okay boy," Takato reassured halfheartedly. He gazed at Rika, an invitation that showed he was ready to leave. As the two of them left the park side by side, Renamon and Guilmon trailed a few feet behind them, all three slowly shuffling away.

Henry walked over towards Kazu and Guardromon. "Can the two of you take Suzie home? She'll be in the park with Kenta and the other Digimon. I don't want her to see any of this."

"Righto!" Guardromon exclaimed, holding his mechanical fists high into the air. "We shall have the little lady home in no time!"

"You betcha," Kazu winked. "She'll have the ride of her life with Guardromon. Maybe we can get some ice cream first. If it'll make her teeth rot it's got to be good!"

Henry gave an appreciative smile before nodding. "Thanks Kazu." He may be annoying, but he was a valuable asset when he needed to be. However, his face fell when he realized something. "Actually, that kid said there would be monsters running around the city. I'd like it if you could take her home directly. Keep watch over her until I call you and give you the all clear.

Kazu groaned. "Ugh fine. Guess I'm babysitting. C'mon Guardromon." Walking towards the playground where Suzie was, Kazu turned his head. "I'm going to talk to your parents and ask for a raise, this is all I seem to do!" Before Henry could answer, the boy and his Digimon raced ahead, not looking for an reply.

Looking up, Henry found himself alone with the mysterious Kairi, the only two humans among the Digimon that surrounded them. The redheaded girl was currently sitting on the ground beside the fallen body of Sora, hugging her knees as she stared at it. Firamon had deposited it among a stretch of grass.

Terriermon jumped off his head and plopped onto the ground beside Lopmon. The two rabbits greeted each other briefly before sitting in silence, something that caused Henry to have some concern. Terriermon was never quiet.

Henry slowly made his way towards the grieving girl, unsure of how to handle the situation. Feeling a tad awkward, he decided to sit down beside her, getting into one of his basic meditation poses he used when practicing his martial arts.

"Were you two close?"

Kairi flinched, as though startled by his presence. "I think we were, yeah." she finally said. "My memories of him are still a little foggy."

"You don't know him?" Henry asked, confused.

She shook her head. "Some incident a while back made everyone forget about Sora. I don't really remember any memories, more like I can remember feelings." Her gaze seemed a million miles away as she wandered into her mind. "I remember being sad when I couldn't see him. But when I finally found him and Riku after they'd been missing for a year, it was the happiest I'd been in a long time."

"Sounds like you've been through a lot."

"Everything has been coming back in bits and pieces. I'll remember all of it in time." She gave him a genuine smile, the first Henry had seen of her since he met her.

"So how did you meet Firamon? Have you met any other Tamers or Digimon?" His curiosity was piqued. He had never met a Tamer outside his group of friends.

The fire lion was attempting to close his eyes and rest, however Calumon and the baby Guilmon, who had not followed Takato, were playing with his lashing tail. Sighing in defeat, the Digimon sat up and began to move his tail more wildly, causing Calumon to scream in delight.

"Haha, your tail is so warm and wiggly!"

The redhead gazed at her Digimon in gratitude. "He saved me. We were in the...Digital World?"

"Yes." Firamon nodded. "A dangerous place. Once the Sovereign fell, it became uninhabitable for Digimon."

"The Sovereign are gone?!" Lopmon exclaimed, sitting up in shock. Her mouth hung wide open, her eyes glazed with disbelief. "What happened?"

"The Heartless invaded and demolished the world." Kairi explained. "It happened to my home as well once."

"Who are the Heartless? Those black creatures?" Henry asked, not liking what he was hearing. If those abominations could destroy the Digital World, as well as the Sovereigns, these things sounded just about as bad as the D-Reaper.

"Digimon have been attempting to flee into the Human World. We have all been trying to evacuate. There are not many of us left," Firamon gazed sadly at Calumon and Guilmon. "The War of Chaos had already left us weak and deprived, we did not stand a chance once this new threat was set upon us.

"Like Tsunomon!" Henry exclaimed, his brain connecting the dots. Now that Henry knew what he did, he felt ashamed of himself for accusing the poor Digimon of being a threat. He had been too overprotective and out of line. The more he thought about it, the more his guilt escalated. He owed Ryo and Suzie a serious apology.

"Firamon saved me from a horde of Heartless, but he had sacrificed himself to do it." Kairi fiddled with her belt before revealing an orange Digivice in her hand. "I tried to use a Cure spell but it did nothing. I was desperate, a crying mess. Then in a flash of light, this little gizmo appeared, and Firamon was healed. I was so relieved."

"A spell? Like magic?"

Kairi nodded. "It's the only one I know so far, but it's quite useful. You don't know about magic? I'm not surprised." She gave a giggle. "I know this probably sounds crazy huh."

Henry shook his head. "I've dealt with crazy before. If Digimon and Heartless can exist, magic probably exists too."

"Would you mind telling me more about Digimon?" Kairi asked curiously. "I've never heard anything about them before and you seem like you know everything that goes on around here."

The two talked like that for sometime. Henry explained as best and patiently as he could, stopping and answering any questions Kairi asked. She was quite inquisitive as Henry soon found out. Terriermon and Lopmon would throw in their own answers from time to time as well, but Henry took the brunt of her curiosity.

He very much liked answering her though. It was in his nature to teach and allow his knowledge to expand, as well as expand the knowledge of his friends. Anything he could do to help anyone, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Kairi herself seemed to be a very sweet person, she actually reminded him a lot of Jeri. However, Kairi was also very strong willed like Rika. She seemed like the type of person who would defend her own ideals to her dying breath. Just what his group of friends needed, another stubborn goat.

However, his friends would need to protect her at all costs. She was one of them now, a Tamer. Times may be tough now, but a new member would always be a welcome sight. Perhaps Kairi was what they needed to save themselves, maybe even the Digital World.


End file.
